Do you feel overwhelmed by every day life? Are you dealing with negative thoughts that keep you from feeling your best? Do you struggle with self-care and self-compassion? Together we can identify how to help you feel in control of your thoughts, feelings and actions again. We will work towards increasing your ability to cope with difficult feelings or stressful life events and get you back on track with managing the different parts of your life. We will use mindfulness practices including meditation and gratitude to help you feel grounded and centered. Let's remember to be kind to ourselves! My experience includes working with children as young as 5, teenagers and adults. I have 13 years of experience working with teenagers as a high school counselor. I enjoy bringing art and play into sessions to help build a variety of skills and insight. Reaching out for help in any capacity can be a difficult task, especially when it comes to mental health. I am here to help and I will work toward creating a safe space for you to feel seen and heard. I will use a cognitive behavioral approach (understanding the connection between our thoughts, feelings and behaviors) as well as other evidence-based practices to best support your needs.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

In our first session together we will start with brief introductions, will discuss expectations for treatment, and will have a short discussion about the treatment process. We will then dive into the specific challenges you are currently experiencing and how we could address them. We will then identify a treatment goal to help guide us toward a successful outcome during our time together.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

I could provide parenting support, including support with managing a child's disruptive behaviors and strengthening the child-parent connection. I work on building rapport and trust with teenagers to help them feel seen and heard. I help clients understand the impact of their thoughts, feelings and behaviors. I use attachment theory and family systems approach to help clients and their families learn how to communicate with one another. I can help a person identify the unhelpful messages they may have received as children and explore how these messages impact their adult lives. I can help you explore your attachment style and identify ways to move toward secure attachment as needed. I am also able to help clients regain control of themselves by using therapeutic techniques when feeling defeated by anxious tendencies. I can help support you with identifying healthy relationship qualities that you would like in yourself as well as in a partner.

About Elizabeth Ruiz