(she/her)
I am a compassionate, client-centered licensed clinical professional counselor with 21 years of counseling experience in a broad range of settings including outpatient, inpatient and military settings. I have some special interest areas and certifications in experiential based therapies such as equine therapy and nature assisted/'walk and talk' therapy in outdoor settings. I enjoy learning new things, spending time outdoors, gardening and travel. I am also staff for two very spoiled tabby cats.
Our first session is a mutual getting acquainted session in a safe, non-judgmental atmosphere where you feel comfortable to share. The first session is focused on current concerns and some personal history. We will also discuss confidentiality and outline your goals for counseling. You will have the opportunity to ask questions about the counseling process and about my background and also give feedback and decide if we are a good fit.
As a compassionate therapist and advocate for clients my strengths lie in my ability to build trust, foster emotional safety and empower clients by addressing their internal struggles and external barriers. My collaborative client- centered approach transforms the therapeutic relationship into a partnership for change.
Clients managing life transitions, identity issues, relationship struggles, low self-esteem, adjustment to loss, or burnout and who may be managing symptoms of anxiety and depression; clients who value a collaborative strengths-based approach to growth and open to take steps toward desired change who are also open to empowerment. My 'ideal clients' also are open to self-exploration and able to identify their personal skills and resources to create positive change. They include those who are willing to maintain consistency with appointments and practice coping skills between sessions.
Other specialties
I identify as
Strength-Based
Strengths based counseling sets up a positive mindset that builds on the person's best qualities, shifts to a positive outlook, increases hope and builds resilience. It works well combined with solution-focused counseling helping understand problems and the inner strengths that can tapped into in order to build solutions.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
This type of counseling concentrates on finding solutions in the present and exploring hope for the future in order to find solutions to problems. SFB counseling focuses on present and future goals rather than past problems. SFBC is a client-centered approach that assumes that you know what you need to do to improve your own life and through collaboration with the therapist you can find the best solutions.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT is an effective therapy for changing maladaptive thinking and behavioral patterns which helps a person learn better ways of coping with problems, thereby relieving symptoms and becoming more effective in their lives. Skills learned from CBT helps a person develop a greater sense of confidence in their abilities.
Relational
This therapy helps a person identify unhealthy relationship patterns and understand how these behaviors are related to past experiences. The goal is to develop new ways of thinking about relationships and using new skills-based learning such as communication and connection to build stronger relationships with people.