(she/her)
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker serving clients in the State of Florida. I am a Certified Grief Counselor and have training in EMDR therapy and trauma informed care. I earned my Master of Social Work in 2020 from the University of Central Florida and have worked in inpatient and in home hospice, senior care, EAP, and therapeutic outpatient environments; serving various age groups from younger to older adults. She has experience working with anxiety, depression, grief, newly diagnosed or chronic illnesses, attention and developmental concerns, caregiver support, aging, adjustment difficulties, and behavioral approaches to sleep disorders. I currently only have limited availability on Fridays for Grow clients. **
I am also a Certified Grief Counselor, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and I have training with CBT for Insomnia.Desiree uses an eclectic approach, utilizing interventions from CBT, DBT, Solution-Focused Therapy, and other evidence-based practices to support clients’ individual goals. She offers a warm, inclusive, and neuro-affirming environment, empowering clients throughout their therapeutic journey.
During our first session, we will spend time building rapport and focusing on your story. We will work together to build a comfortable space, establish boundaries, and explore your goals for our time together. We will discuss expectations, questions regarding methods of interventions, and discuss any concerns you have with the process. My goal is for you to feel safe in a space where you can explore your experience. Let’s work together to find a plan for you!
As a provider, I am passionate about my client's autonomy. Together we will work in a partnership to help you harness your own strengths and learn how to fine tune your own skills to thrive. I believe in empowering my clients and respecting their choices. Life can be full of challenges, but I'm here with you to navigate every step.
I utilize an eclectic approach to therapy using evidence-based practices such as CBT, Person Centered, Strengths-Based, Solution Focused, and Behavioral Activation. My focus is on helping you harness your internal strengths, develop skills, and gain mind/body awareness. I also have training in CBT for insomnia for those who struggle with sleep disorders and would like to focus on behavioral methods for improving sleep concerns.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on challenging and changing cognitive distortions (such as thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes) and their associated behaviors to improve emotional regulation and develop personal coping strategies that target solving current problems.
EMDR
EMDR is a mental health therapy method that helps you heal from trauma or other distressing life experiences by using bilateral stimulation to reduce the distress and emotion associated to the memories. I am EMDRIA trained to offer EMDR. Please be mindful this is a long term intervention and requires significant preparation time. Please feel free to message me with any questions.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
It is an empirically-based psychological intervention that uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies[2] along with commitment and behavior-change strategies to increase psychological flexibility.