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Tara Wiker, LCSW, CCTP-II

Tara Wiker, LCSW, CCTP-II

(she/her)

LCSW
12 years of experience
Virtual

I am a Bilingual (English/ Spanish) Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 12 years experience in the therapy domain. I have particular experience and training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy as well as various treatment protocols to treat trauma (including EMDR, Trauma-Focused CBT, Progressive Counting and Prolonged Exposure). I hold a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, Level 2 Certification and a Certificate in Trauma Therapy from The Trauma Institute and Child Trauma Institute.

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

In our first session 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 what I can offer you and get to know a little bit about my style and expertise. As a primarily person-centered practitioner, we start with whatever you feel comfortable with. We will talk a bit about history and presenting problems so I can get a feel of which therapeutic interventions/ modalities will be best matched for your therapy goals.

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

I use my training and my work with diverse populations coupled with a generalist practitioner's view to help clients balance validation and change strategies in support of attaining mutually-agreed upon goals. As a primarily person-centered practitioner, 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.

Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.

In my work as a social worker I have worked and feel confident with a variety of different types of clients throughout the life-span (from ages 5-65+) and can provide services in Spanish or English. I have worked with clients who are experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, attachment difficulties, dissociation and trauma, among others. I am particularly trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) for work with people who experience Borderline Personality Disorder and Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for people who are wanting to resolve acute or complex trauma.

About Tara Wiker, LCSW, CCTP-II

Identifies as

Specializes in

Serves ages

Licensed in

Accepts

Appointments

Free consults, virtual

My treatment methods

Attachment-based

I have been utilizing attachment-based therapeutic interventions for over 12 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 seek to help them understand how attachment style may be impacting relationship dynamics and provide helpful ways to change their interactions.

Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)

I’ve been using CBT in my practice for over 12 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.

Dialectical Behavior (DBT)

I have particular training in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and helped run a comprehensive DBT program in my work in community mental health. I also have training in the DBT-Prolonged Exposure protocol to treat trauma in clients that may be experiencing Borderline Personality Disorder. DBT is a skills-based therapy and I use the skills with my clients to help them improve symptoms and learn new ways of coping.

EMDR

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. I am trained in EMDR through the Trauma Institute and Child Trauma Institute and have completed my consultation hours in EMDR. I have worked with many clients throughout the last 5 years, both online and in-person, with the EMDR protocol for the treatment of trauma and complex PTSD.

Couples Counseling

I have over 5 years experience treating couples in the therapeutic setting. I utilize elements from Gottman as well as Emotionally-Focused Therapy to help couples maximize their relationship.