(she/her)
New to Grow
Katie has over 20 years of experience in Clinical Social Work. She has experience working in an inpatient psychiatric unit, a school based youth services program, county corrections in the mental health department, and specialized therapeutic foster care in addition to outpatient therapy. She has experience with trauma and sexually problematic behavior in addition to treating mental health concerns.
I still think about reading in grad school that we need the push of discomfort AND the pull of hope to make changes. I approach sessions using Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approaches. Focusing on engagement to have a strong therapeutic relationship while also providing education and useful skills to practice while in sessions is how I approach sessions while managing anxiety related to making changes.
Ideal clients for me could be newly diagnosed with mental health concerns or have longer term severe symptoms and struggle with high intensities of treatment. They can be anxious or have difficulty managing daily activities and are struggling with making changes. They may want to work on balancing demands and prioritizing goals. Ultimately my ideal client needs to feel that I am the right therapist for them.
If you change the way you think, you can change the way you feel. We look together at how thoughts impact feelings and behavior to understand where you have control and plan how to make changes.