LCSW, 14 years of experience
Are you having difficulty managing tough emotions? Do you find that past stuff is getting in your way of living life to the fullest? I can help! I am a Bilingual (English/ Spanish) Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 14 years experience in the therapy domain. I received my Bachelor's in Social Work from Temple University in 2004 and my Master's in Social Work from Millersville University in 2012. I have particular experience and training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) as well as various treatment protocols to treat trauma. Helping clients navigate trauma and it's impact on our lives is my passion! I am an EMDR Certified Therapist, hold a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, Level 2 Certification and a Certificate in Trauma Therapy from The Trauma Institute and Child Trauma Institute. Life can be difficult and throw at us many different challenges that leave us feeling lost, confused and alone. I am confident that I would be able to help you navigate those challenges and learn new ways of coping that will help you live the life that you want. I look forward to working with you and am encouraged by your courage to reach out for support!
During our sessions together, you can expect to feel safe and heard. Since an important part of the effectiveness of therapy is about your relationship with your therapist, I want you to get a feel for who I am as a person and what I can offer you. As a primarily person-centered practitioner, we will start with whatever you feel comfortable with. I will ask about your history and presenting problems so I can get a feel of which therapeutic interventions and modalities will be best matched to help you reach your therapy goals. My clients often leave sessions with different skills and insights that are aligned with these goals.
I am a human, and as a human, I have experienced my own struggles and difficulties throughout life that I have had to work through. Taking what I have learned along the way and using it to help others has been something I have been passionate about for most of my life. I believe that clients have the answers to their struggles within themselves and I seek to utilize the therapeutic relationship to assist my clients in realizing their potential for growth and change.
I enjoy working with clients throughout the entire life-span and can provide therapy services in English or Spanish (or a combination of both). Most of my clients come to me with a variety of different difficulties and we work together to help find solutions to many of life's problems. I have worked with clients who are experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, Autism, substance use issues, relationship difficulties, suicidal ideation, self-harm, dissociation and trauma, among others. I consider myself a life-long learner and enjoy working with many different clients with a variety of different presenting problems that life throws in our path.
I have been utilizing attachment-based therapeutic interventions for over 14 years with a variety of different clients. Attachment-based therapy is a brief counseling style that focuses on building trust and expressing emotions. It can help prevent or treat mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. In my work with couples, I work to help them understand how attachment styles affect their relationships and guide them toward healthier interaction patterns.
I’ve been using CBT in my practice for over 14 years. It’s helped dozens of clients challenge reoccurring thoughts and manage their anxiety and depression. We’ll use CBT to recognize how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors influence each other. We’ll then use that knowledge to change your thinking patterns, which will help you lead a less anxious and stressed life. I also hold a certification in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for children and adolescents who have experienced trauma and am trained in CBT-I for the treatment of insomnia and other sleep disorders.
I have specialized training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), including experience running comprehensive DBT programs for both adults and adolescents in my work in community mental health. My training includes standard DBT, Radically Open DBT (RO-DBT)—targeting overcontrol issues such as social isolation and emotional rigidity—and the DBT-Prolonged Exposure protocol for treating trauma in clients with Borderline Personality Disorder. I use DBT’s skills-based approach to help clients manage symptoms and develop healthier coping strategies.
EMDR is a type of therapy that helps to treat traumatic memories and has been thoroughly researched to be one of the most effective trauma treatments available. I am trained in EMDR through the Trauma Institute and Child Trauma Institute and am an EMDR Certified Therapist. I have worked with many clients throughout the last 6 years, both online and in-person, to resolve traumatic experiences with the EMDR protocol.
I am trained in the Dialectical Behavior Therapy Prolonged Exposure (PE) protocol. PE is a type of psychotherapy that helps people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) learn to confront trauma-related memories, feelings, and situations. PE is based on the idea that people develop pathological fears after trauma. The therapy helps people learn that these fears are not dangerous and that distress is temporary.
4 ratings with written reviews
May 28, 2025
I was skeptical at first about therapy, but Tara is now an important part of my weekly routine. She helps me deal with my personal situations and is always an ear available to hear me when I need to vent or just when I want someone to talk too. She has changed my life so much and I don't know what I would have done without her.
May 4, 2025
I enjoy my sessions with Tara. She is non-judgmental, lets me take the lead on my progress but with really great additions in terms of skills to work on or insights to think about, and always listens with compassion. Our sessions are a nice mix of concrete work and time to talk about whatever I need in the moment. I especially like that she pulls in other resources that really enhance my "homework" time in between sessions.
February 28, 2025
She has helped me in so many ways.