You are the expert of your own life. I believe in treating you with the utmost respect, and I employ empathy and compassion in every session. In sessions, we focus on your needs, preferences, and goals. You are an autonomous person and have the free will to make your own decisions.

You are a talented human being full of potential. You are also capable of change and growth. In sessions, we take what works and run with it. We take your favorite attributes and build upon your qualities, abilities, and skills.

People are interconnected with their environments. According to Albert Bandura, we learn from observing and replicating others. Our surroundings shape our experiences, thoughts, behaviors, and sense of well-being. In sessions, we examine how we relate to our surroundings and how other people, places, and things influence and shape our lives.

We are comprised of our nature and nurture, including our biology, psychology, and social environments. We are predisposed to various genetics, health conditions, and neurological processes. We are influenced by our mental health, including our thought processes, emotions, and coping mechanisms. We consider our environments, including social support systems, economic factors, and cultural factors. In sessions, we examine how these factors influence and change our lives.

As John Rawls states, "justice is fairness." We consider principles such as equity, access, and human rights. In sessions, I respect your rights and treat you with fairness, without judgment. I provide individualized, accommodated, and collaborative treatment planning. I use correct names, pronouns, and labels. Additionally, I apologize for mistakes and work to repair missteps taken.

Brainspotting was discovered by Dr. David Grand, a psychotherapist in New York, in 2003. While conducting Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Dr. Grand discovered that a fixed eye position can unlock trauma that is deeply stored into our brains. By staring at a fixed eye position, one can unlock traumatic memories and process them safely with a trained Brainspotting therapist.

Brainspotting goes beyond traditional talk therapy. Brainspotting involves the Neuroexperiential Model (NEM), which encompasses both the culture of human connection involved in global perspectives and modern psychology. Dr. Grand proposes that we follow Heisenberg's "uncertainty principle" to break down the 1-4 quadrillion synaptic connections in the human brain. Brainspotting applies human development, rather than the diagnosis model, to navigate traumatic experiences throughout a person's life. Brainspotting partners the human need to feel seen and heard with visual sensory processing to open and process traumatic "capsules" stored as memories in the subcortex - rather than the neocortex - of the brain. Brainspotting believes that human resilience is profound.

As a Brainspotting therapist, I accept you as you are. I do not hold the expertise; rather, I hold uncertainty for you to naturally process your healing. I observe your eyes, reflexes, and internal felt senses; reflect on your experiences; and help you access the subcortex in order to mindfully process through your traumatic experiences, burnout, and performance barriers.

Here is the link to the official Brainspotting website for additional information and to watch an introductory video on how to use Brainspotting.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) was created by William R. Miller and Stephen Rollnick for treating substance use disorders by tapping in to people's natural expertise of themselves and the choices they make throughout their lives. The four processes of MI include engagement, focusing, evocation, and planning. This approach recognizes a common aspect of humanity - natural resistance to change - and helps people who are not confident about making changes, people who are ambivalent or unsure about making changes, and people who doubt their abilities to make changes. This person-centered approach helps people who have a desire to change any behavior, including alcohol and other substance use, exercise, eating, and other health behaviors.

As a Motivational Interviewing therapist, I apply empathy and compassion and accept my clients where they are at in the change process through a strong partnership. We work toward changing unwanted, unhelpful, or harmful behaviors. We assess your goals, identify your intentions, and enact your plans.

Fun facts: I was the first author on a Motivational Interviewing book chapter in "Theoretical Perspectives for Direct Social Work Practice: A Generalist-Eclectic Approach (4th Ed.)". I collaborated on a research project on peer-enhanced motivational interviewing (PMI) with emerging adults, ages 18-29, who use alcohol and marijuana. Additionally, my first published work was a book review on "Motivational interviewing with Offenders: Engagement, Rehabilitation, and Reentry".

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was created by Dr. Marsha M. Linehan with the original intention of treating people who struggle with suicidal ideations and self-harm. The general premise of this approach is balancing acceptance and change of stressful situations, emotions, and behaviors. There are four components of this approach: mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance. Today, DBT is an evidence-based practice utilized for most issues, including anxiety and OCD, depression and bipolar disorders, trauma and PTSD, behavioral disorders, personality disorders, and neurodevelopmental disorders.

As a DBT therapist, I help you cope with difficult events by applying grounding techniques. I help you regulate emotions by identifying deep-rooted feelings, feeling your emotions, and changing unwanted emotions. I help you live in the present moment by raising awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations in a non-judgmental manner. I meet you where you are at, we identify your goals to improve your well-being, and we work together to live out your values.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based practice that focuses on changing our thoughts to change our behaviors. This modality is used for most issues and is adaptable for trauma, dissociation, and other specific issues.

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) was developed by Dr. Patricia Resick in the 1980s due to the increasing recognition of trauma. CPT offers a short-term therapy solution for individuals to navigate their thoughts and core beliefs surrounding five areas: safety, power and control, intimacy, trust, and esteem. In this approach, we identify "stuck points", or core beliefs, that have been developed due to a traumatic event, childhood upbringing, or across generations. In this approach, I help clients restructure thought patterns to improve their ability to manage life stressors, improve self-worth, improve emotion regulation, and improve well-being, and recover from trauma.

As a cognitive therapist, I help people identify negative thinking patterns, challenge thoughts that do not serve their well-being, and change negative core beliefs.