“I enjoy helping people and seeing them help themselves.”
What was your path to becoming a therapist?
I always wanted to be a doctor but learned in college that they don't talk to their patients much. I switched to psychology with an emphasis on counseling and have loved it ever since. I enjoy helping people and seeing them help themselves. I was raised as a child of a military service member and had to learn how to adapt with every move. I have worked in residential facilities, outpatient settings, and a home health company. I have worked with refugees with limited English and families in the foster care system in addition to those with other mental health needs. I have experience with the court systems and people in step-down programs coming from the state hospital or other higher levels of care. I am open to alternative lifestyles. I have attended training for dialectical behavior therapy and telehealth and aim to meet the client on their level and help only as much as they would like.
What should someone know about working with you?
When starting with a client, I like to look at the whole picture with a summary of the past. I do not do trauma work without a good level of coping skills. I will assign homework based on individual needs.
What do you do to continue learning and building competencies as a provider?
I am taking classes on telehealth with an anxiety emphasis as well as an emphasis on working with children. I am also focusing on dialectical behavior therapies. I have therapists I collaborate with when working with the transgender population.
How do your core values shape your approach to therapy?
Learning to adapt and find the best balance with every move became second nature. I would not have made it going to school in Europe without being open to different cultures and learning to respect them. Meeting someone on their comfort level speaks volumes; it has allowed me to be more open to alternative lifestyles as well as traditional ones.
“When starting with a client, I like to look at the whole picture with a summary of the past.”