Licensed to practice in Arizona and accepts 9 insurances. Specializes in Child or Adolescent, Coping Skills, Parenting and 10 more.
New to Grow
Welcome! I am glad you have taken the courageous step of seeking a therapist to walk with you through the journey of exploring where you are, where you've been, and where you want to be. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and have worked both in community mental health and private practice. My main goal as a therapist is to support clients when they are feeling overwhelmed or stuck with life's circumstances. Most of my experience has been working with children from birth to age 15 and their families. I have also worked with adults who have experienced trauma and are suffering from anxiety and depression. I take a strengths based and collaborative approach on the therapeutic journey, working with the client to identify their goals and steps to reach them.
Our first session together will primarily be "getting to know each other". I send a number of questionnaires ahead of time for you to answer and send back to me before this meeting so that I can have an idea of your present mental and physical health. A mental health assessment will take place together that will then lead to a treatment plan in which goals of our therapy will be written out and steps to meet them. Together we will decide on how often to meet, which in the beginning may be weekly to get off to a productive start.
My approach is to hold space for you with compassion and presence to tell your story. Then identify where you would like to see change in your life. One of my greatest strengths is I am a good listener. Another is my 17 years of experience as a therapist and over 30 years working with adults and children from many walks of life.
My ideal client would be someone who is open to exploring together what they came to therapy for, and options to reach well-being in their life. Once the goals of therapy are written on the Treatment Plan, the client will take an active role in working towards completing the suggestions or "homework" in between sessions. Then report back and how it did or did not work well for them. We will be re-evaluating weekly how the journey is going and adjust where needed.
I acknowledge the strengths the client comes into therapy with and identify those strengths that are newly discovered or developed. We use those strengths as a starting point to move forward in solving problems that brought the client into therapy.
Secure and insecure attachment patterns are identified in both the child and adult to determine the overall level of trust the client has in their relationships and in their world around them.
Thought patterns are identified that may be leading to uncomfortable feelings and behaviors. Changing thoughts can change both feelings and behaviors, leading to increased well being.
Adult parents and/or caretakers who have children age 5 and younger who have experienced trauma work together to repair ruptured relationship bond. I facilitate play therapy sessions with both child and parent to identify the narrative that lead up to the trauma. The repair work then can begin with honesty and compassion.
Specific materials are used for the child to act out using toys, games, art, etc. where their understanding of their world is, which may be confusing or incorrect.