LCSW, 4 years of experience
Frequently rebooked
Hi, I'm Ciera! I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with a Master's from Indiana University. I've been practicing therapy since 2021, and began working in the mental health field in 2017. I’ve had the privilege of working with children pre-teens, teens, adults, and families. My goal is to provide a safe, compassionate space where you can explore, heal, and grow.
In our first session, we’ll start by getting to know each other. I’ll ask you some questions to better understand your background, what brought you to therapy, and what you’re hoping to achieve. I want you to feel comfortable and heard, so there’s no rush—we’ll go at your pace. A therapeutic relationship is a two way street, so it’s also a great time to ask any questions you might have about me, therapy, and how I work. Together, we’ll start to identify the areas you’d like to focus on, and from there, we can create a plan to support your growth and healing.
I believe my greatest strengths lie in my empathy, open-mindedness and a love for continued learning. I strive to create a non-judgmental space where clients feel heard and supported. I’ve been told that I have a unique ability to help clients feel comfortable sharing their experiences, which is important in building trust and fostering healing. I am also adaptable, which helps me meet clients where they are and tailor my approach to suit their needs. Overall, I prioritize creating an environment where clients feel seen and understood.
I specialize in working with adults who are navigating the early years of their careers and those experiencing burnout, stress, and challenges in peer, romantic, or familial relationships. Many of my clients feel stuck, overwhelmed, and anxious about the demands of life and the changes that come with it. They're eager to grow but often lack the tools and resources to move forward. I also work with clients who are processing past trauma and stressful experiences, providing a safe space for healing and growth. My goal is to help individuals build the skills, empowerment, and resilience needed to manage life's challenges and create a path toward the fulfilling life they envision.
I use Somatic Therapy in my practice to help clients tune into their bodies and the physical sensations that come with their emotions. It’s a gentle approach that helps people become more aware of how their body holds onto stress or trauma, which can help them feel more grounded and connected. Sometimes, just talking through emotions doesn’t fully address how deeply stress is felt in the body. Somatic Therapy allows clients to release tension and process feelings that might be too overwhelming to talk about right away. It’s especially helpful when we’re working through difficult emotions or trauma, offering a safe and compassionate way to reconnect with ourselves. I love weaving various somatic techniques in alongside methods, creating a more holistic healing experience that supports both the mind and body.
Psychodynamic therapy helps clients explore unconscious processes and past experiences that may be influencing their current behavior and emotional struggles. Through a combination of free association, dream analysis, and exploring early attachment patterns, I guide clients to gain insight into their unresolved conflicts and internalized beliefs. By examining these deeper layers, clients can better understand how their past affects their present relationships and self-image. This aligns with my overall approach of fostering self-awareness and emotional growth, particularly when working with clients on issues like attachment, identity, and relational dynamics.
I utilize Brainspotting as a tool to help clients process trauma and emotional distress by identifying and targeting specific "brainspots" that correspond to unprocessed memories or experiences. Trained in Phase 1, I guide clients to focus on particular eye positions that activate deeper emotional responses, facilitating a more direct connection with the brain's natural healing abilities. This method is particularly effective for individuals who have difficult accessing or verbalizing traumatic memories or for those who have found EMDR to be overstimulating, allowing for a more somatic and non-verbal approach to healing. By integrating Brainspotting, I support clients in processing their trauma and difficult experiences in a way that bypasses traditional cognitive processing, leading to a deeper emotional resolution and healing.
I use Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) in my work with individuals, drawing from the EFIT model (Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy). While EFT is often known for couples therapy, EFIT applies the same attachment-based principles to individual work. I help adults identify protective patterns—like shutting down or overthinking—and guide them in exploring the deeper emotions underneath. Together, we create new emotional experiences that lead to greater self-understanding, stronger emotional regulation, and more secure connections with others and themselves.
EMDR helps clients reframe past experiences, unhelpful core beliefs, and integrates them in a way that promotes healing and growth. Through bilateral stimulation, we work to resolve distressing memories, allowing clients to move forward with greater emotional resilience and clarity.