New to Grow
My name is Kimberly Watkins. I am a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor who cares deeply about helping you make your way. Being a native of a small town, I understand the challenges these communities face in gaining quality mental health care. Therefore, after college and getting married, I pursued higher education to fulfill my passion of becoming a counselor. Along the way, I have helped others in various capacities including displaced children and teen moms, working at a homeless shelter and grief center, teaching Social Emotional Learning classes to children in a school setting, providing school-based and outpatient therapy for children and adults in multiple mental health agencies and schools. I have also worked as a Group Therapist for teens/preteens in PHP/IOP Program. Through all these experiences I have gained a vast understanding and knowledge of challenges individuals and families face. I want to continue this journey by providing private individual therapy services. I seek to provide compassionate, client-centered counseling to individuals and families in communities. I seek to help individuals and families grow strong roots by encouraging clients to explore and utilize resources in their communities including family, friends, and faith-based services. I seek to help people address issues they are experiencing such as depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, and relational challenges. I will meet each client where they are and help them work through past and current pain to build a more balanced and manageable life. My goal is to support individuals and families in building healthier, more resilient lives across generations. My personal passion is to strengthen communities by increasing access to compassionate, high quality mental health care.
As a counselor, I recognize the importance of respect and how valuable it is. I plan to offer you openness and respect in this first session and any successive sessions as well. I will offer support. Coming to therapy can be daunting. Please know I totally respect the commitment you've made to take this step. I will seek to offer answers to questions you may have about the therapy process and approaches offered. I will be patient and kind. I will seek to help you maintain safety if that is an issue you're struggling with. I will offer confidentiality and professionalism in the first and successive sessions.
I am authentic, supportive, and respectful of human life, challenges and suffering. I have worked with various people in many capacities. I have a heart for those struggling with grief, trauma, depression and anxiety and various abuses. I have a passion for helping others get better. I am patient with people that are resistant to the change process. I like to inform clients of the options they have therapeutically and meet each where they are. I like to explore community resources with clients to help them feel more empowered in their own care.
I have worked extensively with children and families as a therapist and in other roles. I have worked in various capacities with children in a wide range of ages and challenges including clients with ADHD, bullying, suicidal ideation, etc. I have helped individuals and families work through relationship and communication struggles, low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and various forms of trauma. I have worked with women struggling with various forms of abuse and low self-esteem towards empowerment. I have worked with military veterans with PTSD symptoms. I have worked with clients in individual and group settings to address concerns related to grief.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I've used this approach in individual and group settings to address issues for clients experiencing intense emotions and impulsive behaviors especially those struggling with trauma and anxiety issues. These approaches help clients to increase Mindfulness, develop Distress Tolerance, Interpersonal Effectiveness and Emotional Regulation skills.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I have used this approach in individual and group settings to address client's issues related to depression, anxiety, distorted thinking, impulsive behaviors, and intense emotions. I help clients understand the interconnectedness of their thoughts, feelings and emotions and how they form patterns and interpretations that can become unhealthy.
Grief Therapy
I have used this approach in individual and group settings to address client's issues related to grief and loss. I help clients to adapt to life changes, death, divorce, health challenges and develop healthy ways to adjust, manage and cope.
Trauma Informed Care
I have used this approach in individual and group settings to address client's needs who have experienced including sexual, physical and emotional abuses and neglect, military deployments, chronic health issues and other forms of trauma. I seek to help clients develop a sense of Safety, Trustworthiness and Transparency, Peer Support, Collaboration and Empowerment. The main approaches I use to do this are Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).