My Approach to Helping
* I am not currently accepting new clients. I will start to accept new clients in February 2021*
You are worthy of happiness and contentment. You are deserving of peace of love.
There will be many times in an individual's life where they will come to a crossroad (a crisis, a new transition, trauma)- and will likely ask themselves "Do I do this myself or do I risk asking for help?" My job is to stand next to those individuals and say "You are not alone".
As a therapist I join my clients to support, guide, and tackle life's obstacles together. I believe that creating a professional but strongly interpersonal relationship is the key to change and allows client's walls to come down and healing to begin. I use my training in family of origin issues, trauma and addiction treatment, and intimacy disorders to help clients to start living the life they want to live and do it bravely.
More Info About My Practice
I have been a Primary and Family Counselor with the The Meadows of Wickenburg for the last ten years and continue to work with that amazing company on a part-time basis. I have been trained in the Meadows Model related to Trauma, Addiction, and Codependency.
I am a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist who specializes in working with addicts, partners, and family members of those struggling with the spectrum of intimacy disorders. I am also passionate about working with many other presenting issues such as anxiety, depression, self-esteem, general relationship concerns, parenting and stress.
I have trained with some of the most brilliant minds in the field such as Dr. Patrick Carnes, Pia Melody, and Dr. Claudia Black and continue to consult with and surround myself with amazing therapists and people so that I can continue to grow in my work.
What I Love about Being a Psychotherapist
Since I was twelve-years-old, I knew that I wanted to be a therapist. There was something inside of me that deeply cared about people's mental and emotional well-being and it was important to me to listen with respect to their concerns. After getting through the bookwork of Undergraduate and Graduate school and starting practicum and internship I loved the feeling of sitting across from someone in a small, intimate room and creating and holding space for them to work through whatever they needed to work through. I think it is so important for the human soul to feel heard, seen, and understood. Over the years I have felt very fulfilled when I see individuals, families, and couples come out on the other side of something painful or scary and say "Wow I did it. I was able to face it and now I have more confidence in myself". Resilience is embedded in all of us but sometimes we believe that we cannot access it. As a therapist I get to see people embrace being connected, vulnerable, and brave and I am grateful to be able to witness that every day.
Importance of the Client-Therapist Alliance
For any change or healing to happen an individual has to feel safe. Whether that is in their personal, professional, or therapeutic relationships. I know from my own journey with therapy that until I could believe that my counselor was themselves open, honest and compassionate it was hard to let down my walls and be my authentic self. Healthy relationships have the potential to heal old wounds. I see the client-therapist alliance as an attachment relationship that has boundaries, respect and care. When it is not a good "fit" it is difficult to foster growth because the foundation is just not there. In my therapy work I do challenge my clients at times because I believe that you don't pay your therapist just to tell you what you want to hear. You pay them to guide and inspire change in you and at times that means that the therapist will ask you to look at things from a different perspective. But challenging the client should never be demeaning, shaming, or cruel. When a safe relationship is formed between client and therapist the therapist is able to confront unhealthy thoughts but with the message "I am challenging you because I care and I believe that you have potential to have a healthy life".
Clinicians who offer sliding scale payment structures may offer lower or reduced fees based on an individual's ability to pay. Please contact this clinician for more details regarding their fees or sliding scale policy.