Find a Therapist in Alma, MI

Active Listening: Therapists listen attentively to what clients say, as well as to nonverbal cues such as body language and emotional expressions. This helps them understand the client's experiences and feelings more deeply. Creating a Safe Space: A therapist provides a confidential and non-judgmental environment where clients can express themselves freely. This safety is crucial for effective therapy. Facilitating Dialogue: Through structured conversations, therapists help clients uncover insights about their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. This dialogue is essential for understanding and resolving issues. Therapeutic Techniques: Depending on their training, therapists may use various techniques, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to address negative thought patterns, or psychodynamic therapy to explore past experiences and their impact on current behavior. Setting Goals: Therapists work with clients to establish therapy goals, which guide the sessions and help measure progress over time. This collaborative approach ensures that therapy is tailored to the client's needs. Providing Psychoeducation: Therapists may offer information about mental health, coping strategies, and the therapeutic process itself, helping clients understand what to expect and how to navigate their challenges. Emotional Support: Therapists provide empathy and validation, helping clients feel understood and supported as they navigate their emotions and experiences. Encouraging Self-Reflection: Therapists often prompt clients to reflect on their thoughts and behaviors, fostering greater self-awareness and insight, which can lead to personal growth and change.

As your counselor, I want your experience with me to be inviting, warm, engaging, and productive. I deeply value trust, safety, and connection when we work together. I am here to help you figure out what you want and need, grow your awareness, sort out your most difficult feelings, and gain insight into the reasons you do what you do, all to equip you for the changes you desire. Allow me to come alongside you as we walk toward the life you want to live. Using a person-centered and cognitive behavioral approach, I work with adults on concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar challenges, obsessive-compulsive challenges (OCD), spiritual issues, alcohol and other substance abuse, relationship struggles, difficult adjustments, and compulsive behaviors, including pornography concerns. Additionally, as a seminary graduate and U.S. Army Chaplain Corps veteran, I encourage those of Christian faith to allow me to serve you with my history of ministry training and committed personal faith. I also offer clinical supervision for Limited Licensed Professional Counselors (LLPCs), both in person and online, with a special interest in supporting supervisees who want to integrate their faith.

Many clients come to therapy struggling with anxiety, relationship concerns, or difficulty setting boundaries, and often say, “I don’t even know why I’m this overwhelmed — I just know I can’t keep feeling this way.” Together, we slow things down and make sense of what’s happening beneath the surface so you can feel more grounded, connected, and at peace.

Many times it is very difficult to make the first step and ask for help. However, if you suffer, and your have already tried anything you could on your own, it might be time to get professional advice. I provides individual counseling. I collaborate with my clients. Your feedback along the way is very important to me. It helps me adjust my work so I can meet your needs and preferences. I am a certified sex therapist. These skills allow me to serve you better if you struggle with relationships and intimacy issues.

I see myself as a source of unconditional support, a sounding board and a safe place for others to do the work of therapy. The therapeutic office is a sacred and unique space that gives others space to sort through their experiences, beliefs, and hopes. In my office, this happens in a developmentally appropriate way that allows anyone from the age of three up to work through the struggles that bring them to therapy. These interventions may include traditional talk interventions, experiential interventions like play therapy and sand tray therapy, EMDR, as well as narrative and art interventions. My eclectic approach allows Individuals to choose the best way for them to engage in the process of therapy.

Do you find yourself struggling to be who you want to be in your relationships? Are you unsure how to change things in your relationships? With commitment and a good therapist, you can improve your relationship. Give me a call or send me an email so I can work with you to determine what might work for your relationship. I specialize in relationship issues, and I work with both individuals and couples. Relationships are complex, offering many opportunities for difficulties. Relationship trouble can lead you to feel depressed, anxious, and alone, but a new perspective can offer you hope. We all do the best we can with what we know, but sometimes we need an outsider to help us learn new ways of being. When a relationship is troubled, some time spent reflecting on problematic habits and behaviors can help you move forward. Life can be easier, and your relationships can be better.

Over the past 31 years, I have been helping people experience relief from the damaging effects of anxiety, stress and depression. I work with adolescents, adults, families and couples. I provide honest feedback in a confidential, safe and non-judgmental environment for my clients to help facilitate positive change and to reach a much higher level of peace and joy in their lives. I utilize Solution-Focused Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy along with principles of Positive Psychology and an interactive style. I am also a Wellness Coach and provide services for individuals, and workshops for corporations on topics such as Work-Life Balance, Team-Building, Health and Wellness and Happiness.

As a therapist, I take a whole-person approach, working collaboratively with each client to create a treatment plan that truly serves your best interests—no matter who you are or where you are on your journey. I draw from a range of therapeutic modalities, including journaling, art, nature-based practices, music, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and traditional talk therapy. The approaches we use are chosen together, based on your comfort level, experience, motivation, and needs. When appropriate, I also share insights from my own life experience to support and connect with you in meaningful ways. As a divorce, parenting time, and custody coach and consultant, I bring the experience of a seasoned mediator (since 1996), parenting coordinator, therapist, and parent. I help individuals and co-parents navigate conflict and create solutions that are as fair and equitable as possible for everyone involved—especially the children. I also consult with family law attorneys to provide perspective and support on complex family dynamics. In addition, I provide consultation and emotional support around elder care and aging. Whether you're making difficult decisions or managing the day-to-day challenges of caring for an aging parent or family member, I offer guidance, resources, and empathy to help you move forward with clarity and compassion. I provide assessments and letters for emotional support animals in accordance with FHA laws. As a social work ethics consultant, I offer guidance rooted in over 30 years of experience in the field. I developed a model called “The 5 Pillars for Navigating the Social Work Ethics Maze”, which serves as the foundation for my work. This model draws from the NASW Code of Ethics and incorporates relevant standards across various practice areas. I consult with individual social workers and clinics to help develop best practices grounded in ethical social work principles, and I also provide trainings on a range of topics for professionals in the field. In addition, I offer supervision for LLMSWs pursuing their LMSW, having completed the Core Supervision training through Michigan NASW. My approach integrates practical experience with a strong focus on ethics, creating a supportive and insightful environment for professional growth. I also serve as a field supervisor for MSW students, helping prepare the next generation of social workers with confidence and integrity.

My ideal client is over the age of 18 and is working on life skills or life-changing issues. I also specialize in trauma treatment. My treatment is online based, so it is more convenient for everyone. With over 15 years of experience in mental health and substance abuse counseling, I bring a wealth of expertise to my practice. By owning my practice, I can offer flexibility to my clients, helping them navigate their journey to self-discovery by tailoring their treatment plans to fit their sessions best. Because therapy isn't one-size-fits-all, neither is my approach. I draw from evidence-based modalities including EMDR, mindfulness, somatic therapy, talk therapy, CBT, and DBT-informed techniques. Together, we'll create a personalized plan that reflects your goals, needs, and where you are right now.

I enjoy helping clients discover a healthier and happier way of being, in all the roles we take on and situations we find ourselves; relationships, marriage, career, feeling stuck, alone, anxious, sad, chronic anger, hauntings from a traumatic past, loss of a loved one, or perhaps not liking who you see in the mirror each day. Life is full of challenges and events that bring us up and those that bring us down. Counseling provides the time and space to work through your thoughts and feelings, to seek change, improve your sense of self worth and increase your confidence and ability to cope with all that comes along in life. I approach these experiences with empathic listening and genuine curiosity, as well as compassion and respect. I understand the courage it takes to delve into issues that feel uncomfortable and sometimes painful. I provide a private office in Farmington Hills where you can feel safe, where honesty is valued and not judged. My approach to our work together also includes asking questions, offering interpretations, providing psycho-education, encouragement, honesty and a splash of humor. Beyond my training, I bring to therapy my own journey and the lessons that have come from life's bumps as well as the successes. I have experienced the challenges of being a caregiver to a parent with dementia, as well as grieved the loss of a parent. My family members have struggled with cancer and I understand the fear and helplessness that accompanies this disease. I've also experienced the joy of loving relationships and strong friendships. I have been blessed with children on the gifted spectrum, and know as well the stress that comes with their unique view of the world and heightened sensitivities. Therapy can be a life-changing process, and I feel honored each day when I can share with someone that experience of positive change and re-discovering joy!