Licensed to practice in Indiana and accepts 25 insurances. Specializes in Addiction, Serious Mental Illness, Trauma and PTSD and 10 more.
(she/her)
I tell everyone that I am not your average therapist, meaning I have a different outlook and approach than many therapists/counselors. I have extensive experience working with complex populations and mental health conditions, including but not limited to complex trauma, psychosis, personality disorders, and substance use. I am typically direct because I believe time is our most valuable resource, and I want to respect your time. I use humor when appropriate to help therapy feel more comfortable and approachable. Asking for help is typically the hardest and most important thing we must do. I try to make that process as easy as possible. Life can be hard sometimes, and it has so many beautiful things. I am here to help figure that out.
First sessions always feel a little awkward. I try to minimize that negative feeling as much as possible and provide a safe, welcoming space. I encourage everyone to share whatever they want and are comfortable sharing in their own time, which may take a few sessions. We are all human, navigating difficult experiences, and I try to make sure every session ends with people feeling better than when the session starts.
Having a direct approach means we tackle things head-on and try to understand and resolve them. If something is too much in a session, we put a pin in it and come back to it when you're ready. I challenge and encourage everyone, myself included, to push past discomfort, think outside the box, and learn something new every day. I also rely heavily on science and neurobiology to understand how things work and why we do what we do. One of the most effective and possibly most irritating questions I ask in a session is "why," which helps us understand thoughts and behavior in the long run. If we understand why we do what we do, we can change problematic thoughts and behaviors.
I work best with adults at all stages of life in a 1:1 virtual setting. Therapy goals can be specific or broad and can even include undefined ideas. Clients who are internally motivated to change often do best in therapy, and an open mind is paramount. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to treatment and growth, and there is no single business model. It's okay to figure things out as we go!
Understanding why we think what we do, how those thoughts impact our emotions, and what actions we take because of that background is the foundation for our growth. Challenging thoughts that negatively affect our lives can help us feel more in control.
DBT helps you understand and adjust your behavior to support healthier outcomes. DBT has four modules that help us learn effective skills for seeing things from different perspectives, increasing mindfulness (living in the moment), regulating emotions, tolerating distress, and building and maintaining healthy relationships.
Our brains are wired to handle trauma in specific ways that protect us. This is where the fight/flight sequence comes from. If we can understand how the brain naturally deals with trauma, we can find new ways to work with our brain rather than against it. TF-CBT focuses on how past experiences impact our current behavior.
Grief is complicated and is harder to work out on our own, and everyone has a unique process. Working through grief with others is often more helpful than trying to handle it alone.
Understanding how our minds work can help us make sense of our choices and behaviors. Having as much information as possible also helps us make the best decisions we can.