Hello! I get that life is complicated and traumatic experiences make it more so. I have experience helping clients heal and grow as they navigate challenges related to sexual trauma, disability, and mental health. Throughout my career, I have worked with children, teens, and adults from diverse backgrounds as they follow a path of healing after sexual abuse. I have also worked with many individuals whose intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities influenced their sexuality and mental health. I am particularly interested in helping individuals whose concerns relate to: * Sexual trauma * Online victimization/exploitation * Discovering a loved one has been abused or has abused another * Emotional, social, and sexual concerns influenced by illness/disability * Caregiving * Vicarious/secondary trauma and professional burnout
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
Good first sessions are ones in which the conversation feels natural and we can focus on whether we are a good fit. I ask that clients complete an intake form before our first appointment, so that I have some sense of their concerns and history. This allows me to ask more helpful questions and better appreciate the context of what you are telling me. During the conversation, we can come up with a plan for moving forward that makes sense, given everything else you are juggling.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I focus on whole individuals, not labels, diagnoses, or select behaviors. I am used to talking about sensitive topics, including those related to sexuality, problematic thoughts/behavior, death, discrimination, cultural differences, and spirituality. I encourage clients to practice living in the present, reminding them that, while the past influences things, it does not determine their future. I carry with me all the lessons I've learned through the years from the many children, youth, and adults I've accompanied, for a time, along their unique paths of healing and growth.