Find a Therapist in Saginaw, MI

I specialize in helping women who struggle with emetophobia (the fear of vomiting). As both a therapist and doctoral researcher, I have dedicated much of my professional work to understanding how emetophobia affects women's lives, relationships, decisions about pregnancy and motherhood, and experiences seeking mental health treatment. Emetophobia is much more than a fear of getting sick. It can influence what you eat, where you go, how you respond when your children are ill, and even whether you decide to become pregnant. You may find yourself constantly monitoring your body for nausea, worrying about stomach viruses, avoiding certain foods, or planning your life around the possibility of vomiting. Perhaps you have tried therapy before but felt that your therapist did not fully understand your fear. Or maybe you have avoided seeking treatment because the idea of exposure therapy sounds just as frightening as the phobia itself. Through my clinical work and research, I have developed a deeper understanding of the ways women experience emetophobia and the challenges they encounter when seeking treatment. I incorporate evidence-based approaches, including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). My approach is individualized and collaborative, with an emphasis on helping you gradually reduce avoidance, navigate uncertainty, and reclaim parts of your life that emetophobia has restricted. My goal is not to promise a life without nausea, illness, or uncertainty. It is to help you build a life in which fear of vomiting no longer makes so many of your decisions for you.

Are you feeling more anxious, or fatigued? Experiencing less motivation. Do you feel lonely? Are you worried about your career, or relationship? Has your coping strategies turned self-destructive? I can help you feel confident and secure once more. I provide a safe, comfortable, non-judgmental, supportive, and respectful therapy that empowers the individual while reducing stress to get you back on track. Because your time is such a valuable commodity, my approaches are very structured and goal oriented. Each approach will immediately lower unhealthy anxiety and the feeling of fatigue caused from depression. My unique integrative approach to therapy interweaves cognitive behavior, psychodynamic, mindfulness, and existential therapies together in order to assist all individuals, partnerships, and every type of unique family structure with the most effective and efficient treatment created for each person's unique needs and strengths. A few examples include, but not limited to are: relationship struggles, individuals recovering from trauma, chemical dependence, abuse, anger, lack of confidence, anxiety and anger turned inward, known as depression, while making sure to listening to those who have never felt heard. If you're looking for a therapist who is compassionate and empathetic, that listens to your needs and wants, who will facilitate and assist your journey, please contact me. As a person in long term recovery with 44 years of my own personal experiences, successes, and failures, I understand the importance of treating people with respect, empathy, and dignity.

Do you want to appear confident and like you’ve got your life together, but deep down, you’re struggling with anxiety and a fear of never being good enough? I want to help you build a more fulfilling, authentic life, and we can do that by using approaches that address what you’re dealing with at the root. I take a holistic approach to mental health, which means therapy is just one piece of the puzzle. We’ll also look at things like sleep, nutrition, and movement to support your work in therapy. You’ll learn practical skills and understand how they work, so you can feel more confident facing daily challenges and stress in the short term. We’ll also do the hard work of addressing what’s underneath it all, so you can heal and create real, lasting change.

While I hold the title of psychotherapist, I am also an artist, mom, daughter, and, most importantly, a fellow human being. I believe empathy, listening, and being able to relate are essential ingredients for a competent therapist. My theoretical point of view is rooted in person-centered (Rogerian or client-centered therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and mindfulness-based therapy. By integrating these methods, I aim to equip clients with practical tools to manage their anxiety and improve their overall well-being.

I am a dynamic and goal driven therapist, that has nearly 3 decades of experience in a variety of different mental health settings. I love the process of helping people decipher the reasons behind why they do what they do, and then, to help them learn the tools to change what they are doing, and improve their lives. I am 100% committed to helping persons that are committed to the therapy process, improve their lives. I have successfully treated hundreds-perhaps thousands, of individuals over the years, and am constantly striving myself -to learn new tools and techniques that are not just a part of the average cookie-cutter psychotherapy in the industry. I aim to provide a balanced approach in the work that I do. Meaning, that I am there to listen, but then to be actively working with you, in finding the solutions to what presents you to me.

Life has many challenges that we struggle with, many coming internally from our own minds. I can help navigate you through your journey to overcome intrusive, negative self-talk, low self-esteem and self-worth, trauma, and assist with changing that inner voice that tells you, “you have to be perfect.” Using art therapy as well as cognitive-behavioral techniques, I help people who are looking to work through their trauma, anxiety, depression, finding a career, and life transitions; from job changes and relationship issues to grief and loss. Together we can work to gain insight, develop coping skills and mindfulness techniques, defeat the negative self-talk and create a life worth living. My goal is to allow space for someone to be their true self, to be accepted in a safe space, and to encourage creative self-growth. As an art therapist, clients have the option to engage in art therapy. No experience with art materials is required. Utilizing the creative process, the artwork, and the verbal discussion create a space to integrate mind, body, and spirit within the counseling session. Art therapy improves self-esteem, cultivates resilience, promotes insight, and guides emotional and spiritual growth. Using the nonverbal messages, symbols, and metaphors found in the art can lead to a better understanding of feelings and behaviors, moving forward to resolve deeper issues. Art therapy is utilized with people of all ages and uses a variety of art materials, such as paper, pencil, markers, crayons, clay, and collage to name a few. I am an Art Therapist and am formally trained in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for the treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). *Accepting new clients. Weekend and online appointments available*

Clients often come to me after feeling something was “missing” in past therapy, or that deeper change remained out of reach. My integrative approach combines internal family systems, somatic, and psychodynamic work to access layers traditional talk therapy often doesn’t reach. Specializing in aspects of trauma means strengthening sense of identity and self, emotional regulation, interpersonal patterns, as well as deeper difficulties often associated with borderline personality condition. I also enjoy supporting expats and otherwise mobile clients, drawing on my global clinical work and lived experience as a long-term expat. Clients appreciate how I intuitively pull upon a variety of modalities as therapy evolves. Heavily relying on internal family systems, somatic, and attachment-based interventions, I also blend in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), as seems fit. My approach is centered on creating sustainable, long-term change by addressing the underlying patterns that shape emotional well-being and relationships. If this resonates, I invite you to reach out to explore whether my practice may be a good fit for you.

Seeking support is a courageous and meaningful step, and I strive to provide a safe, non-judgmental, and supportive space where clients feel heard and respected. I believe healing begins within a welcoming therapeutic environment that centers on your individual needs, strengths, and goals. I am a licensed clinical social worker in Michigan with over 15 years of experience working with diverse populations, including veterans, children, teens, and adults across hospital, outpatient, and community-based settings. My approach is collaborative and compassionate, with a strong focus on building a trusting therapeutic relationship. I utilize evidence-based modalities, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), strength-based therapy, and solution-focused therapy. Treatment is thoughtfully tailored to support emotional growth, develop effective coping strategies, and promote meaningful, lasting change. I believe that with consistent support and positive guidance, healing is possible. I am committed to walking alongside you on your journey toward greater balance, clarity, and well-being, and I invite you to reach out when you are ready to begin.

For more than 30 years, I have worked with individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, stress, relationship difficulties, trauma, life transitions, and a wide range of emotional and behavioral challenges. My approach is light-hearted, easy-going, and grounded in the understanding that psychological well-being is not something people must create or earn, but an inherent capacity that remains present even during periods of distress. I view clients as fundamentally healthy individuals whose innate capacity for well-being can become obscured during difficult periods of life. My role is to facilitate insight and understanding that allow this natural capacity to re-emerge. Many clients report experiencing meaningful and lasting change, often with less effort and struggle than they previously believed possible. Rather than focusing primarily on managing symptoms, analyzing problems, or developing coping strategies, I help clients gain a deeper understanding of how their psychological experience is created. As people begin to recognize the role of thought and perception in shaping their moment-to-moment experience, they often discover greater clarity, resilience, emotional stability, and freedom from patterns that previously seemed overwhelming or permanent. My work is influenced by contemporary psychological science, decades of clinical experience, and the understanding that lasting change often occurs through new insight rather than through the continual management of psychological symptoms.

As owner of A Brand New Start Counseling, I believe in the title and that a brand new start is exactly that. During our lives we are presented with many opportunities to start anew, whether those opportunities come from deliberate personal choice or a combination of life events that just happen. It is my goal to meet you where you are in your life and assist you as you begin your new start to developing a healthier, more empowered you. I am a well seasoned counselor who has been in the business of working alongside individuals, couples, families and children for eighteen years as we together search for new answers to life's abundant challenges. Whether it is depression, relationship issues, stress management, or more, I am confident that we can find the solutions that best work for you. I believe strongly that each of us carries our own answers within ourselves, but sometimes it just takes a little help to unlock those answers. While the counseling process can be painful, it can also be something like opening a treasure chest discovering your own inner strengths that will benefit you as you begin again in your life.

The therapists at our clinic are here to listen with a non-judgmental mind, helping you sort out the chaos, your personal patterns, and help you work towards creating a better world for you and those around you. Our philosophies and approaches focus on understanding you as a unique individual and providing support tailored to your needs. We are here to hear you, experience the things you experience, and be with you through the difficult times. We are good at catching patterns and helping others see multiple perspectives in ways that may differ from what they originally thought. Our focus is to help you acknowledge and accept your humanness. We all make mistakes, have difficult times in our lives, and need a little extra help during those difficult times. We offer traditional talk therapy, art therapy, and other creative therapies to suit your needs. You are still strong and valuable even if you ask for help, and we want to be that help.

Life's difficulties and challenges can pull anyone off balance for a time. Having a professional to support recovering that balance as you travel your personal journey may be the first step toward greater insight and establishing compassionate self empowerment. I am devoted to being that professional as we explore the inner and external landscapes of modern living.