“I hold compassion for individuals who may be experiencing any emotional distress or trauma.”
What was your path to becoming a therapist?
I enjoy the opportunity to work with individuals and families in a variety of settings. I have diverse experiences that include working with individuals who have developmental disabilities. I very much enjoyed working with our veterans as a mental health lead in an inpatient drug rehabilitation and detox program, providing mental health assessment, diagnosis, individual and group therapy, medication monitoring, and suicide prevention/intervention.
What should someone know about working with you?
I am very open and to the point; even if you don't like my advice, I will still be honest with you. I hold compassion for individuals who may be experiencing any emotional distress or trauma. I will encourage you to always find strength from within, because I believe we all have more strength than we give ourselves credit for. Nothing is insurmountable in life, but we may need to work on ourselves to reach a space we desire. Everyone deserves to be complete and not judged.
How do your core values shape your approach to therapy?
A key component to building a therapeutic alliance with a client is making the client feel safe. This means that we discuss and process in a professionally safe place where clients can share their experiences, goals, and feelings without judgment. We work together to determine the goals a client desires to focus on, goals that would enable them to feel progress and/or fulfillment in their life. I help the client have a sense of empowerment rather than vulnerability.
What are you most excited about within the evolving mental health landscape?
First and foremost, the biggest barrier to seeking mental health care is the stigma of having a mental health need. We know all people despite their education, culture, socioeconomic status, age, or sex can be affected by or experience a mental health crisis. Some people feel society will view them as vulnerable or broken. Some people carry these feelings inside of them for years and never get the help they need. I am excited that this barrier is disappearing.
“I will encourage you to always find strength from within, because I believe we all have more strength than we give ourselves credit for.”