My Approach to Helping
All my life, I have been fascinated with what makes people "tick". What kind of life experiences they have had, what forms their behavior; how they think and feel; how they relate to others; myself included. The richness and diversity of these experiences help make each person an individual - similar issues, perhaps, but, still unique onto them. I am a person-centered counselor and love to develop a therapeutic relationship with my clients so that they can find trust and acceptance in exploring issues that are causing emotional pain. When I became a therapist, I felt content and knew that I had chosen the right profession. I enjoy watching people grow from their pain, trauma or uncomfortable situations, coming closer to the person they want to be. It gives my life meaning.
Specific Issue(s) I'm Skilled at Helping With
It is meaningful for me to work with people who have had trauma in their lives. It could be physical, emotional or sexual abuse; rape. It could be a car accident. It may be a trauma from the past or more recent. Trauma affects many people today. It can cause anxiety in an individual, without him/her knowing the anxiousness has its roots in the trauma itself. Many try to cope with it on their own, only to find out that trauma does not go away on its own. It is gratifying for me to watch people in emotional pain from trauma, heal the pain from within, for a lasting feeling of relief and peace.
I have experience with substance abuse issues and the havoc it can bring to the individual addict/alcoholic, as well as, family members. Substance abuse problems can cause health issues, financial issues, and family chaos.
I work with depression. There are many forms of it: situational, family history, mental illnesses such as bipolar. I treat each person, individually, to work with his/her unique need for care, forming a collaborative plan of treatment.