Congratulations on taking this major step towards seeking a higher quality of life, whether for yourself or a loved one! Though your situation is unique and will require targeted goals, these past several years have left many people feeling anxious, depressed, overwhelmed, hopeless, helpless and/or “mentally foggy.” Sometimes, entire families are scrambling to figure out how to manage the ripple effect of one member’s mental illness, and how to help maintain a quality of life for everyone involved. As an LMFT, I help clients with topics such as recovery from trauma, adjustment to major life changes, managing mood dysregulation, stabilizing activities of daily living, and implementing healthy coping skills. Even events generally considered to be “good” (such as buying a house, getting a promotion, or getting married) rate high on the stress index. Your list of concerns will be unique to you and will require a targeted approach to building goals. I am especially interested in coping with grief/loss/trauma, reconstructing lives according to choices rather than reactions, blended and bi/multi-cultural families, our LGBTQ communities, the multi-generational ripple effect of mental illness on families, and the dual diagnosis of developmental disability and mental illness. While talk therapy and EMDR are my primary modalities, I believe strongly in the healing effects of creativity, visualization and somatic work. I am easy to reach at: Grow Therapy Tel#: +1 (786) 755-1863 reception+Andrea12909@growtherapy.com (Current Clients only) Tel#: +1 (562) 535-3102

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

In our first session, we'll start with brief introductions, then dive into specific challenges you are facing. This will help us create a tailored plan to guide future sessions. Completing the intake form prior to meeting is the best way for me to do some homework and for you to get the most out of the first time we speak; if I do not receive a completed intake form prior to the first session, we will spend time going over those points before we move into any other concerns. I also have a personal consent that I will ask you to read, sign and return, and of course I would encourage you to feel free asking any questions you might have before signing it.

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

Over the past 18 years, I have worked in private practice, as a Crisis Team member, for psychiatric hospitals, as a consultant in Developmental Centers/for Regional Centers, and as a therapist in Corrections. My primary interests are grief and loss/trauma, social displacement/status and loss of status/rebuilding in mid-life/divorce and blended families, and emigration/immigration/diversity within a family. As a member of the LGBTQ community, I am deeply invested in the health and welfare of the LGBTQ population, clients who are transitioning, and the experience of parenting LGBTQ children. I have served for years as a consultant at Developmental Centers and writing behavioral and placement/aftercare recommendations for developmentally disabled and mentality ill (DDMI) clients.

About Andrea A. Jones