LP, 3 years of experience
New to Grow
Hi there, I'm Sanela! I'm a licensed clinical psychologist with 3 years of experience in supporting individuals who are working through trauma, anxiety, depression, and life's challenges. I have a license to provide therapy to individuals living in Michigan. Throughout my experience I have worked with clients from a wide range of ages, backgrounds, cultures, faiths, and identities. I am LGBTQ+ affirming. I have also worked with clients from various trauma backgrounds, including combat trauma, sexual or physical assault, serious accidents, and difficult life transitions. I am passionate about walking alongside my clients as they process their experiences, build resilience, and move toward a more balanced and fulfilling life.
In our first session, we'll take time to get to know one another and talk about what brought you to therapy. As part of the initial assessment, I will ask questions about your background, symptoms, and current life circumstances. I also like to check in on how you are doing with different areas of functioning like sleep, work or school, social relationships, physical health, and any substance use. This will assist me to get a better idea of what your presenting needs are, so that we can assure working together will be a good fit and that I have a clear understanding of your goals.
My therapy style is compassionate, collaborative, and direct. I want you to feel safe, validated, and truly understood in our work together. I also aim to be a steady guide -- helping you process difficult experiences, make sense of your emotions, and move forward with clarity and strength.
Most of my work comes from helping people who have presenting concerns to include trauma, anxiety, depression, life changes, and ongoing stress. I am most trained and fluent in providing cognitive behavioral therapy, trauma-informed treatments, and mindfulness. My goal is to tailor the treatment to each client's needs, while keeping our sessions grounded in compassion and practical tools for growth.
I have significant experience in guiding clients through CBT based therapy techniques. I use this approach t conceptualize my cases, build a treatment plan, and teach skills for cognitions, emotions, and behaviors.
I have extensive training in CPT, a trauma-focused approach that helps clients reframe unhelpful beliefs connected to traumatic experiences, reduce feelings of guilt or shame, and find new ways of understanding what happened.
I use PE to guide clients in safely processing traumatic memories to reduce avoidance and regain control over their lives. I also teach coping skills to help clients respond differently to their emotional memories.
One of my true passions in working with clients is incorporating mindfulness. Working with guiding you on how to experience the present moment can help instill a greater sense on control in your life. I try to incorporate mindfulness skills into most of my therapies to help bring clients back to the here and now.
I aim to create a safe space for therapy, which includes building trust and using collaboration to approach distressing and traumatic experiences. My primary goal in using a trauma informed approach is to empower clients to take control of their recovery process, recognize and respect the cultural and individual differences of those experiencing trauma, and to focus on strength and resilience rather than deficits.