New to Grow
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with over thirty years of experience helping children, teens, and families navigate life's challenges with insight and compassion. I strive to create a safe, welcoming space where you can explore your thoughts and emotions without judgment. Together, we'll build resilience, strengthen coping skills, and work toward meaningful changes that help you feel more balanced and fulfilled. My approach is collaborative and grounded in evidence-based practices, tailored to your unique needs and goals. Whether you are facing stress, transitions, or relationship changes, I am here to help you find clarity, confidence, and a greater sense of well-being.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
In your first session, we'll get to know each other and talk about what brings you to counseling. You'll have a safe, nonjudgmental space to share your thoughts and feelings, and we'll start exploring your goals and challenges. I'll explain how therapy works, answer your questions, and together we'll begin shaping a plan that feels right for you.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
With over 30 years of experience as a school counselor, I have spent my career at the heart of the human experience. My greatest strength is my ability to truly hear what isn't being said. I don't just listen to your words; I listen to your story. Having navigated decades of complex family systems and life transitions, I bring a deep, seasoned empathy to our sessions. My goal is to provide a space where you feel completely safe, profoundly understood, and genuinely cared for as we work through your journey together.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I specialize in working with clients who feel paralyzed by an internal critic or the weight of perfectionism. If you are stuck in a cycle of second-guessing, I use an integrative approach - combining the warmth of Compassion Focused Therapy with the practical, evidence-based tools of CBT and ACT. My goal is to help you move from self-judgment to psychological flexibility, giving you the tools to build a life aligned with your true values.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
In my practice, I utilize CBT as a structured framework, but I prioritize the therapeutic alliance over a rigid script. I find it most effective when integrated with Person-Centered approaches to meet the client where they are. My focus is on collaborative case formulation: helping the client uncover the core beliefs driving their automatic thoughts, and then equipping them with the behavioral tools to break the cycles that keep them stuck.
Compassion Focused
I find that many clients already know what they want to change, but their internal critic is so loud that they feel paralyzed. I use a Compassion Focused approach to help them understand that their struggles are 'not their fault,' but rather a result of how our brains are wired for survival. By developing a compassionate inner voice, we work to quiet that self-criticism, which creates the emotional space they need to actually make progress on their goals.
Eclectic
I use an integrative approach because no two clients have the same history or nervous system. My priority is to build a foundation of trust and to meet the client where they are. Rather than forcing a 'one-size-fits-all' model, we collaborate to identify the specific tools - whether from CBT, Compassion Focused Therapy, or other modalities - that will most effectively help them reach their goals.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I often tell my clients that therapy isn't about getting the 'monsters' off the bus, but learning how to drive the bus even while the monsters are shouting in the back. I use ACT to help people stop struggling against their internal experiences - like anxiety or intrusive thoughts - through acceptance. This frees up their energy to focus on what they actually value, rather than spending all their time trying to 'fix' how they feel.
Exposure Response Prevention (ERP)
I find that many clients feel 'bullied' by their intrusive thoughts. I use Exposure Response Prevention as a way to help them take their power back. We work collaboratively to move toward the things they've been avoiding. By sitting with the uncertainty and the 'itch' to perform a compulsion, they eventually discover that the anxiety peaks and then fades on its own. It's about teaching them that they can handle the discomfort without needing to perform a ritual to feel safe.