I am a Virginia Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. I have a master’s degree in professional counseling and another in crisis and trauma counseling. I also have over 15 years of experience providing counseling and therapeutic support, so I feel confident that we can find success working together.
First and foremost, I am a person-centered clinician. This means I employ practices that focus on you and your experiences, needs, beliefs, and goals. I believe you are the expert on you; you may just need a little help uncovering this expertise. I also believe you are engaging in counseling because you are pursuing change in your life; and I am here to support and learn with you, side-by-side, as you move forward and make these changes. I am not here to judge you in any way, but rather to create a supportive, safe environment for you to express yourself, learn, and grow. I intend to focus on the strengths you already possess, and how these can be cultivated to facilitate positive change. We can work towards concrete solutions together. Please remember, you are not the problem; the problem is the problem.
My goal in our first session is to help you feel comfortable, heard, and understood. You can expect a warm, open-minded, and supportive environment where you are free to be yourself. During this initial session, we will spend time getting to know one another. I will ask about what brings you to counseling, your current concerns, and any relevant background information that will help me understand your experiences more fully. You are always in control of what you choose to share and at what pace. (I do tend to talk a lot with my hands, just so you know.)
