LCSW, 10 years of experience
New to Grow
I began my work as a mental health professional working primarily with children in a school setting. After a professional hiatus to home-educate and raise my children, I returned to work part-time as a psychotherapist with older adults living in assisted living and nursing facilities and learned that I love working with people in this life stage. It is a privilege to hear life stories and glean from the wisdom of those who are further along life's journey. It is also an honor to be trusted to assist in navigating the loneliness, losses, and transitions that older adults can sometimes experience. I believe that all people, regardless of age, are valuable and have a purpose. I like to help people discover or rediscover what gives them joy and meaning in their current life stage.
In our first meeting, I will spend some time getting to know you and what's bringing you into therapy. I will probably be asking you a lot of questions and seeking to understand your impression of your current challenges. At the end of our time together, I am going to share with you my impressions and make some recommendations. Then, I will ask you if continuing to work with me is something that you would like to do. If so, we will collaborate on setting some goals for our work together. Then we will schedule our next session.
My strengths include patience, a guiding rather than directive approach, a careful respect of autonomy, and a belief in the dignity and worth of all individuals.
My ideal client is someone who considers themselves to be an older adult. They may be struggling to find meaning and purpose in this life stage, grieving multiple kinds of losses, finding navigating relationships with adult children challenging, not sleeping well, or trying to cope with physical pain and other health issues. They are open to learning, motivated to grow, and desirous of healing, so they can more fully live the life that matters to them.
My relationship with Jesus Christ is central to my identity, worldview, and motivation; therefore, it naturally impacts my counseling style. Central to my faith, is a firm belief in freedom of choice and the dignity and worth of individuals, so it is also important to me to be curious about and respectful of others' faith and religious beliefs. As a mental health professional, it is not my role to proselytize. If a client shares my Christian faith and is open to it, we will likely utilize biblical truths and prayer to enhance our work together.
I like to use CBT to help clients gain a deeper understanding of their thinking patterns, emotional triggers, and avoidance behaviors, how these three interact, and how making changes in these areas can lead to more whole and satisfying living.
Life is full of losses and not just death-related losses. We encounter loss in every transition in our lives, even if the change is viewed as good. Losses of all kinds can be especially prevalent in older age. I like to utilize grief therapy to companion with clients as they work through the tasks of mourning and find meaning and purpose in the midst of their grief.