LISW, 15 years of experience
Hello! I am a Licensed Independent Social Worker in Ohio and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Florida. I have over 15 years of experience in the social work field and have worked with a variety of people and families from ages 5-55. I am a Certified Clinical Trauma Practitioner and also focus on serving those in my LGBTQ+ community. I welcome all people as they are and with whatever their struggles may be. I believe that your are the expert of your own experience and therefore allow you to take the lead in your treatment. I am supportive, encouraging, and solution focused. I want to help you reach the goals you want to achieve. I will celebrate your successes and encourage you to keep going when things don't go according to plan. I strive to provide a safe place to meet you where you are in your journey and recognize the privilege I have in doing so.
During our first session we will get to know each other through different questions and discussions. It can feel initially intrusive while gathering information, but my goal is for you to feel safe, supported and accepted. I welcome questions you have about me or my strategies and hope to motivated you to move forward with therapy sessions so that you can make the changes you want to make. We will talk about your history, current struggles, and set goals for your future. These goals will help guide our sessions and the work we do.
I believe that being part of the LGBTQ+ community allows me to have a more personal understanding of some of the difficulties people in the community face on a day to day, lived experience. I recognize the significance in validating these experiences and appreciate all unique people as they authentically are. I do my best to make people feel comfortable, welcomed and not 'dread' therapy. I don't push or use universal strategies for care, as I want your care to be specific to your journey, needs, and goals.
I love working with LGBTQ+ people and those who have endured trauma. Many of my clients feel unseen, misunderstood, and/or discriminated against. These feelings can lead to loneliness, isolation, and anxiety that affect their ability to make and/or maintain relationships, function to their highest potential, and feel happiness in their life. I enjoy working with people who want to make changes and feel better, but many times do not have the skills or know the steps they need to take.
As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I have dedicated my private practice (Affirming Mental Healthcare, LLC) as a place for all people to feel accepted, safe, and supported. In working with many queer people, I have seen the benefits of having this safe place to be heard and valued as your authentic self. I work with a non-judgment attitude and strive for you to feel welcomed to address whatever you are struggling with. We will work together to reach the goals that are important to you.
I am a Certified Clinical Trauma Practitioner that is passionate about validating your personal experiences. Trauma can take many forms, with many symptoms, as it is unique to each individual. I incorporate this Trauma Informed Care into the treatment I provide, as appropriate, to assist clients in processing and healing from what happened to them. I do not push clients to explore or process anything they do not feel ready to address or if they don't yet have the coping skills needed for enduring trauma therapy. We work at each clients own pace and comfortability. It is my belief that therapy is your journey that I have the honor of walking beside you through.
CBT is a fundamental method that I utilize in treating depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Through CBT, we work to explore, identify, and process how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors influence each other. Through education you will learn about coping skills and self-care strategies that I will encourage you to implement into your daily life. We will also address any intrusive, negative, and/or automatic thoughts with identifying them and learning how to restructure them. The goal is for you to better understand how your thoughts and feelings impact your behaviors so that you can ultimately feel more in control of your life.