My Approach to Helping
It can be daunting to make the decision to reach out and contact a therapist. Just by doing this, you are already taking the first step towards reaching your goals. Whether you are seeking counseling for yourself or for your child, taking the initiative can be scary. I work to create a positive and supportive environment in order to alleviate some of those fears. I believe that therapy should not be a space where you have to worry about being judged. As a counselor, I believe it is my role to give you unconditional positive regard. This doesn’t mean that I will never challenge you or give you a dose of reality, but instead that I will never judge you for simply being who you are. Going to therapy and opening up to a stranger can be scary, but together we can work towards getting you to where you want to be.
In addition to individual and couples work, I also work with preteens, teens, and their families to develop effective communication while also focusing on your teen’s growth, identity development, thoughts, and emotions. Being a teenager can be an exciting, confusing, and scary time. The support of a trained therapist allows for a safe, nonjudgmental space for teens to process life's hardships, learn more about who they are, and gain the skills they need to navigate the future.
I believe that empathy and building the therapeutic relationship is the biggest factor in the work we can do together. While I bring a person-centered approach and mindfulness into almost all of my sessions, I don’t believe therapy is one-size-fits-all. This means that I will always take into account individual situations and preferences to make sure our time together is focused on your or your teen’s unique needs and goals. I am trauma-informed, LGBTQIA+ allied, sex-worker allied, and multi-culturally focused.
