Licensed to practice in Florida and accepts 9 insurances. Specializes in Anxiety, Depression, Anger Management
New to Grow
Hi, I'm Chelsie, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who works with adults navigating anxiety, depression, and the harder seasons of life. I'm not here to just listen and nod; I'm here to work with you toward real change. My approach is direct, solution-oriented, and always collaborative. I believe in naming things clearly, asking the hard questions, and building a plan you can actually use. My job is to help you make that choice consciously, and to help you get where you're trying to go.
Starting therapy for the first time can feel like a big unknown, so here's what to expect: our first session is mostly about getting a clear picture of what's actually going on, what brought you in, what you've already tried, and what you're hoping is different on the other side. I'll ask direct questions, because vague answers make for vague plans, and that's not how I work. You won't leave with just a diagnosis or a list of feelings to sit with, you'll leave with a shared understanding of the problem and a sense of where we're headed. Therapy with me isn't a passive experience, and it starts from session one, we're already working together to name what's real and figure out what to do about it.
My approach is strengths-based and person-centered. I believe you already have capabilities and resilience worth building on, and therapy works best when it's collaborative rather than something done to you. I draw from Motivational Interviewing to help you work through ambivalence about change, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to build practical tools for managing thoughts, mood, and behavior, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy to keep sessions focused on where you want to go rather than getting stuck in what's wrong. I'm direct and solution-oriented in how I work, but the goal is always growth on your terms. I'll challenge you when it's useful and support you the rest of the way.
My ideal client is someone who's ready to do something about what they're facing. You might be feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or like you already know something needs to change but haven't figured out how. You don't need to have it all figured out before we start, but you do need to be willing to look at things honestly, even when that's uncomfortable. I work well with people who want a therapist who will ask direct questions, name what's actually going on, and help build a real plan, not just someone to nod along for fifty minutes. If you're the type of person who'd rather get ahead of a problem than wait to see how it plays out, we're probably a good fit.
I use CBT because it's structured, practical and it identifies the thoughts and patterns keeping you stuck, tests them against reality, and turns that into concrete strategies you can use between sessions. Notice the pattern, challenge it, change the behavior, track whether it's working.
I use mindfulness to build awareness before we build change because you can't shift a pattern you don't notice while it's happening. We work on recognizing thoughts, urges, and reactions in the moment, not just after the fact, so you have a real choice point instead of being on autopilot. It's not about sitting still or emptying your mind, it's a practical tool that pairs with the direct, solution-oriented work we're already doing.
Motivational Interviewing shapes how I ask questions, not just what we talk about. Instead of telling you what to do, I ask questions that help you argue for your own change because people commit to reasons they've said out loud, not reasons I've handed them. We'll work through the parts of you that are torn... wanting things to be different but also wanting to stay where it's familiar. That tension isn't a problem to fix quickly, it's the actual material we work with until your own reasons for change are clear enough to act on.
I don't start from what's broken. I start from what's already working. Every client walks in with skills and resources they've used to get this far, even if it doesn't feel that way, and I want to know what those are before we build anything new. We use what you already have as the foundation for the change you're trying to make, instead of treating you like a blank slate that needs fixing. It's still direct, still solution-oriented but we're just building on solid ground instead of starting from zero.
Not every session needs to push toward a plan, sometimes what's needed is steady, honest presence while you get through something hard. Supportive therapy is where I hold the direct, active work a little more loosely. I listen, validate what you're carrying, and help you stabilize before we move back into problem-solving. It's still part of the same relationship, not a different one. I just meet you where you are that day instead of where the plan says you should be.