Kelly Maher
Hello and welcome; I am so happy that you are here! I recognize the effort it took to get here and I commend you. It’s not always easy to recognize or give voice to life’s difficulties, let alone to seek assistance and support, and you have already done both.
Helping those who are natural caregivers, find themselves in caregiving roles and/or those who are employed in the helping professions is also an area of passion for me.
I would describe my style as patient, understanding, caring, and compassionate. I am committed to creating a space that feels as safe and as comfortable as possible. I believe in treating people with respect, sensitivity, and dignity, and I don’t believe in stigmatizing labels. I am committed to showing up with compassion, with respect, and without judgment. My role is not to tell you what to do, but to support and encourage you to access the wisdom, resources, and strengths that exist within you already. Over the past 11 years I have had the privilege of working with and helping many people, especially young adults, adolescents and teens with a wide range of concerns and challenges. For most of my career I have worked in both residential and outpatient community mental health settings where I have helped individuals and families with a wide range of concerns including self-esteem, depression, stress, anxiety, adjusting to transitions and changes, managing anger, assertive communication skills, family conflict, and parenting problems. I truly enjoy working with adolescents, teens, and young adults especially, and consider myself to be very sensitive to and respectful of their unique needs and challenges. I have also helped many people who have experienced abuse, neglect, and other forms of trauma and traumatic stress. In the past year I have moved my practice from in-office sessions to electronic platforms and video sessions, which allows more flexibility and less barriers for the clients I serve. If you are ready for the next step, and if this feels like the right fit for you, then welcome. It is an honor to walk along side you for this part of your journey, and I look forward to us working together.
First session
The first session is about getting to know each other, gathering information, discussing expectations, and starting to set some goals for treatment. At the end of the session I will also teach you a short grounding / deep breathing exercise. My hope is that you walk away from the first session with a deeper understanding of therapy, what you can expect from me and the therapeutic process, who I am and what I can offer you, a sense of whether this right fit for you, and one helpful technique you can take and use outside of sessions. Moving forward I strive for a balance of processing and insight development as well as actionable tools and practices you can practice between sessions to continue the momentum moving you toward your goals.
Strengths
I place a very high value on the strength of the therapeutic relationship, as this partnership is the foundation for this work. I believe that when people feel safe, cared for, respected, and understood the possibilities for transformation are endless. I am particularly passionate about helping those who are highly sensitive individuals, people who feel things deeply. Helping those who are natural caregivers, find themselves in caregiving roles and/or those who are employed in the helping professions is also an area of passion for me.
Ideal clients
I would like to focus on the following client populations - highly sensitive individuals, creative individuals, young adults, individuals with low self-esteem, individuals dealing with anxiety, individuals struggling with managing depression, and individuals struggling with parenting challenges. I truly enjoy working with adolescents, teens, and young adults especially, and consider myself to be very sensitive to and respectful of their unique needs and challenges.
Location
Virtual sessions