One of the strongest predictors of success in therapy is the connection you share with your therapist, so finding the best fit is an important first step! I believe in the "therapeutic relationship," developing a relationship of trust and respect. We will work together to find the approach that best fits you—your needs, goals, and unique situation. My focus is to provide a safe place to be heard, understood, and supported. No matter where you are on your journey, I will meet you there, and together we will maximize your potential and develop a greater appreciation for yourself and your ability to reach your goals. Long-term change is a process. You possess within you all the skills and tools necessary for change. I assist you in discovering and learning how to utilize those tools in the most effective ways. I look forward to helping you find answers, direction, healing, and wellness.

Emotional pain can cast shadows on our lives that break our hearts. We become trapped in feelings of worthlessness, emptiness, and brokenness. We struggle with distorted beliefs that something is irreversibly wrong with us. It's hard to feel not only that we are missing something but also that we are not worthy enough to have that something. This can leave us aching with sorrow. There is good news: you have a true self that is completely whole and knows how to find peace. My mission is to accompany you in your shadows and unlock your inner power to heal. I’ll walk with you to the other side of your pain, where personal growth and healing occur. There is light and hope. I aim to help you step into the life you desire, become aware of how your thoughts shape your world, and guide you in shifting them to reflect the life you’ve always wanted to create. I believe that everyone has a vision for themselves and their lives that they wish to unlock. I want to help you find the key and show you how our lives are stories that we write, pen to paper, each day. I believe that you can transform every moment of your life to become exactly who you've always hoped to be. My experience has shown me that human beings comprise parts that yearn to connect in a healthy way. At times, these parts are in conflict with one another, blocking our path to success. I would like to help you achieve wholeness with all the beautiful parts of yourself. A key component of my approach as a counselor is to bring awareness to how we create our reality. I guide you in shifting maladaptive beliefs to create an empowering story in which you are fully engaged in your experience. I offer a safe space for you to express and understand yourself and heal. I have extensive knowledge of therapeutic tools that I tailor to each individual client to best fit their needs and goals. My main areas of specialization involve working with maladaptive coping skills and unhealthy perceptions of self, others, and the world. Much of my prior clinical experience has been with male offenders in correctional facilities, where I conducted both individual and group counseling. I worked with individuals who struggled with severe mental illness, interpersonal problems, anger management, thought distortions, maladaptive coping skills, and criminal behavior. I taught and guided individuals in using therapeutic tools and techniques to regulate emotions, manage relationship conflict, and ease symptoms of trauma. I am passionate about personal, professional, spiritual, and emotional growth. I believe that we all have the ability to consistently evolve and continue creating the best version of our lives every day. I am always striving to learn the newest and most effective therapeutic techniques to increase my knowledge and expertise, in order to help you as best as I can. I look forward to walking down your path with you and seeing all the places you'll go. It's time to become the hero of your story.

I have provided therapeutic interventions as an outpatient therapist and crisis counselor for about 7 years. I have worked with people with acute mental health concerns and people with serious and persistent mental health disorders. I have worked with people of diverse backgrounds. In helping clients achieve their mental health goals, I acknowledge and support developing a strong therapeutic relationship with my client to best support my clients in developing awareness and skills needed to achieve the therapeutic goals that you set. I believe in a client-centered approach that focuses on interventions that will work best with each, individual client for the best result.  I understand that people have things that come up in their lives while working on goals and have, and hope to continue to, help my clients learn skills needed to help manage those problems and increase awareness of how they impact my clients' mental health. I will support you in making changes in your mental health when you are ready to begin.

We all need support—someone to listen to us with an open and nonjudgmental mind, someone to help us reorganize our thoughts when we are confused, undecided, or overwhelmed, and someone to cheer us on when we struggle without pushing us faster than we are ready to go. My goal is to provide you with the comfort necessary for introspection and healing and to search with you for any tools that may enrich your journey of self-discovery and fulfillment. As difficult as it is to take that first step into a counselor's office, I believe that seeking help when in need is the greatest act of love we can gift ourselves, as well as the clearest sign of strength and maturity. So, although the day we first meet will mark the beginning of our journey, it will not be the beginning of yours: you are already well on your way! I look forward to walking alongside you, wherever your path may lead.

Congratulations on taking the first step to improve your mental health! It is important to me, as a therapist, that you feel comfortable in a therapeutic relationship and that you feel heard. No one knows more about your life and experiences than you do! We will be able to work collaboratively to help you take the next steps to reach your goals and feel heard in a safe place. Therapy is not a "one and done" experience, and my goal is to provide the necessary tools, resources, and skills to help you thrive based on your individual needs. I look forward to working with you through this healing process.