Book a therapist or psychiatrist in Sanford, NC covered by Cigna

Hi, I'm Christian, a Licensed Clinician Social Worker, eldest daughter, and proud first-gen Latina.

Partner 1: “I reach for you, but it feels like you’re already gone.” I’m left wondering if I matter to you at all.” Partner 2: “When you come close, I feel the pressure to be perfect, so I pull back to protect us both.” These unspoken messages leave couples lonely and stuck. I help break this anxious–avoidant cycle so partners feel safe, seen, and deeply connected again.

“I don’t understand why I want closeness so badly, yet feel disappointed when I have it. Why do I feel lonelier than others, even when I’m not alone?” Or: “I care deeply, but people say I’m distant or hard to read. When emotions get intense, I shut down—not because I don’t feel, but because it feels like too much.”

These quiet tensions live beneath awareness for many people. Longing and self-protection pull in opposite directions. Needs feel confusing, emotions feel overwhelming or unsafe, and core beliefs quietly form—I’m too much, I’m not enough, connection costs me something.

I help people loosen these patterns, reconcile the Self with more truthful and adaptive beliefs, and move toward self-acceptance and interdependence—where connection no longer threatens safety, but deepens it.

After nine years serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, I realized my deepest fulfillment came not from fixing systems, but from walking with people. Leaving the military was not a departure from service—it was a continuation of it. I pursued social work and theological training to better support people in their most important relationships. Today, my practice is devoted to couples counseling and trauma-informed care. Drawing primarily from Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and EMDR, I help couples slow conflict, understand what drives disconnection, and emotional safety. As a veteran and seminary-trained therapist, I bring structure, compassion, and steady hope—meeting clients with respect, grace, and a belief in lasting change.

I’ve been practicing therapy for 25 years, which has included 12 years in NC and prior practice in both Kansas and New Mexico. I’ve worked in community mental health most of my career so I’ve had the opportunity to serve all ages and provide treatment for a huge variety of mental health concerns. I’m pretty down to Earth, open, honest, and genuine. I can be direct when needed to help bring awareness or light to a potential problem area while at the same time me providing support and encouragement. I enjoy hearing people’s life stories and helping individuals navigate their way through difficult life situations and problematic symptoms. No judgment, just a person available to help you find what you need.

I believe healing is possible, even after deep or prolonged trauma. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with extensive experience supporting girls and women who have been impacted by trauma, anxiety, OCD, and/or life transitions. My work is grounded in evidence-based practice, cultural humility, and compassion. I strive to create a space where clients feel emotionally safe, respected, and understood. For those who desire it, I also offer Christian-integrated therapy, thoughtfully incorporating faith and spiritual values in a clinically ethical and client-centered way. My goal is to walk alongside you with clarity, structure, and hope as you move toward meaningful and lasting change.

I see counseling as a walk between two people, a time to discuss the ups and downs of life. I am person centered; solution focused and draw from a wide range of CBT mindfulness and Accelerated Resolution Therapy techniques that will help my clients find their own unique path in life.

Life has been very stressful lately. I've spoken with hundreds of people recently who are feeling at least a little stressed or down. Most people I talk with wait a long time before getting into therapy. Why continue to wait? Do you want to have a better relationship with anxiety? Are your anxious or self-critical thoughts keeping you down? Are you ready to try something new? I use a holistic approach with several research-based interventions including CBT, Heart Math, and Solution-Focused Therapy,

I earned a Masters of Science in Clinical Counseling from Wright State University in 2007. I have been practicing Mental Health Counseling for 18 years and have worked in several different settings including outpatient therapy, mobile crisis, employee assistance, department of defense, veterans and private practice.

Together, we will develop a comprehensive plan so that you can get the tools you need to help you reach your goals. It takes a lot of courage to reach out for help and for that I appreciate you. Please contact me to see if we're a good fit.