Hi, I'm Connie Cooper. Change can happen. If you are seeking a compassionate and understanding counselor who also applies science to the therapeutic process, we may be a great fit! I employ collaborative and evidenced-based approaches to counseling including Cognitive-Behavioral, Narrative, Motivational Interviewing, Mindfulness, SMART recovery, and DBT therapeutic techniques to address a wide variety of life circumstances. Combining my 20 years of experience with your own self-knowledge, we can measurably improve your depression/anxiety, divorce/grief, unhelpful behaviors, marital issues, or life stage changes. In addition to 15 years in private practice creating change, my background includes employment at community mental health centers and the Veteran's Administration. Previous to my counseling career I worked in a large multinational corporation in sales and marketing. I've lead groups ranging from anger management to parenting classes for defiant children to assertiveness training. I currently facilitate o Dialetical Behavioral Therapy skills group that includes a mindfulness component. I am trained in Gottman marriage counseling and divorce mediation and adjustment. I am not accepting new couples at this time, but will work with individuals having marital issues. For problematic behaviors or addictions I endorse SMART recovery in addition to other resources. I am a life-long learner and am always striving to improve my knowledge and skills and stay up to date with the latest research. If we work together, we will start by identifying your goals and set up a plan to track your progress. We will also work at growing what is already going right! You can feel better and make the changes you want to and I look forward to supporting you with this. Just reading this bio is a start to change...congratulations on taking your first step to feeling better!
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
We'll paint a picture of what it will look like if counseling is effective. In other words, we will set goals and begin visualizing success.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I listen intently, am empathetic, and have a great deal of experience which helps me pick effective approaches.