“Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place” ― Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
I am a licensed professional counselor who enjoys working with children, adolescents, young adults, and families! I believe in a strengths-based approach to therapy, where we access your strengths in order to face and get through your challenges. Viewing strengths as a core resource for resiliency creates a positive approach to addressing problems both in the therapy session, and gives you skills for getting through challenges in the future. I am a trained art therapist, and often use art-making in my work, but it is certainly not a requirement in your work with me. Art therapy can be a great tool for working with people, and especially children, who have difficulty communicating or expressing themselves in other ways. I have a gentle approach and a warm and welcoming personality that lends itself to creating comfort and vulnerability in the therapy setting. I strive to create an environment where the relationship is of utmost importance, and that is free of judgment – where you are accepted where you are, while also creating space to strive and work towards where you would like to be.
I have 7 years of experience working in mental health settings, and specialize in working with children and adolescents with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, anxiety, depression, and trauma histories. I also work with adults processing grief, fertility and pregnancy issues, parenting skills, anxiety, depression, and trauma histories. Some things we might work on are: developing coping skills, identifying strengths, addressing how thoughts and feelings affect moods and behaviors, processing life changes and transitions, identifying and correcting cognitive distortions or intrusive thought patterns, and more as needs arise. I believe in connecting past experiences with current ones in order to understand the full picture of what has made you into who you are now. I am genuinely and authentically interested in people’s stories, and can’t wait to hear yours!