LPC, 30 years of experience
I am licensed in Texas with 36 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with trauma and abuse, coping with grief and loss, & depression. I also have experience working with compassion fatigue. I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process. I work with clients of ages elementary school through retirement. I also work with couples to overcome communication problems, misunderstandings, and the need to build trust. Life's transitions are often difficult to navigate alone. I help clients experience changes and so they can be able to see their way to joy and peace again even in the most difficult situations. I am LGBTQ+ friendly and supportive to individuals and families. I use a variety of treatment styles including EMDR for trauma and anxiety, mindfulness, grief and loss counseling, Rational Emotive Therapy and other techniques that are appropriate for Telehealth work. For couples therapy I use Imago therapy techniques to help couple who want to reunite to do so.
The Client can expect to spend the first session talking about their situation and sharing anything they wish to share about their personal expectations. The client will also expect this therapist to answer any questions they might have about techniques used, experiences, theories, education, and styles used. This therapist provides a calm. safe, accepting, and non-judgmental environment to express their concerns and life's experiences.
My biggest strengths include genuine concern and willingness to listen without judgement. I am driven to help my clients by using proven techniques to assist them in reaching their goals and emotional health. I continually seek knowledge in the field of psychotherapy to add to my arsenal of therapeutic techniques
I work with people of all ages with a verity of issues and concerns. The following are examples of issues I address on a regular basis. I have worked with individuals who have PTSD caused by a vast array of traumatic experiences. I am certified in EMDR by EMDRIA. I have been a trauma therapist for many years and I have found that this well researched method is in my opinion the best method to handle the effects and symptoms of trauma. One of the things I like best is that the you do not have to talk extensively about the trauma to do this work. Individual Adult Therapy Many people have strong feelings like sadness, anxiety, anger, or despair and don’t really understand what causes them. Throughout our lives we receive feedback from family, teachers, clergy, friends, bosses, and sometimes total strangers. Negative and defeating thoughts are also caused by trauma, learning disabilities, and early failures to name a few. The feedback is in the form of statements about ourselves and they may or may not be true. But we get the negative words in our heads, and we unconsciously say the words so much that they become the things that we believe about ourselves. I have helped a great number of people with overcoming negative cognations by developing positive thoughts that aid in overcoming strong hurtful feeling that can lead to non-productive behaviors and outcomes in all areas of life. By working together to resolve trauma and other hurtful situations you will find that you can succeed in almost anything that you work hard to accomplish. You can develop a strong can-do attitude and feel more relaxed, energetic, and happy. My practice welcomes LBGTQIA clients. I also work with people going through life transitions and relationship issues through senior adults. Individual Therapy for Children and Teens Some people believe that children are resilient and bounce back from anything stressful. There is some truth to that statement, but children carry the hurt they experience throughout their lives. As time passes, that hurt can cause negative thoughts, creating a personal script that interferes with life successes. Children and youth can disguise trauma by hiding their inner thoughts from parents, teachers, and caregivers, making them think all is well. Adults in these children’s lives are confused by certain behaviors the youth around them exhibit, but some behaviors are a cry for help. Depression and grief are not exclusive to adults. Depressed mood and gri
EMDR (eye movement desensitization reprocessing) is a method that was started over 30 years ago. This technique has been studied and proven to work to reduce and eliminate the emotions, negative thoughts and effects of trauma and other situations that cause dysregulation in ones life. I am Certified as an EMDR therapist by EMDRIA and a member of the organization. I continue to study and practice the skills that help clients overcome trauma. You can visit my website changinglightcounselinganevaluations.com for more details about EMDR.