How has your particular field of specialization evolved in recent years and how has that impacted your work?
I started my profession focusing on chronically medically ill children and their families in medical family therapy .My undergraduate background is from Biology and medical knowledge. I expanded my know working in psychiatric hospitals with both children and adults eventually providing therapy in an outpatient basis for all age groups.Recently I have focused on working with older adults with medical and behavioral health issues and have utilized family therapy to involve family members in treatment because it effects all of those in the family with good results.What I learned early on has helped shape me into a better professional to get the positive results for the folks I work with in treatment.
What do you view as a key component of the therapeutic relationship?
The therapeutic bond between the client and therapist serves to open up the door to effective treatment with the outcome of successful goal attainment. If this relationship is not addressed it can serve as a barrier against the client meeting their goals or "getting better".For the therapist it is essential to go into the client's world to understand their concerns in their own culture or life.I work to achieve that goal specific to their needs abilities and strengths. Their improvement is paramount for me in working with them.I welcome them into treatment.
In what ways have your personal experiences influenced your work with your clients?
I believe the path I have taken as a therapist has shaped me as a person better able to cope with all the gifts life throws at us.I have learned to go forward in pursuit of bettering myself and facing my stresses rather than running. Like the man who approached three dogs coming at him. He did not run away but instead he went closer towards them.If he had attempted to run they could have easily reached him. Fear can be anywhere with us but eventually we face it to grow.My focus in therapy is to be the catalyst breeching the gap for folks to reach their potential and happiness in their life.
Specialties
Depression
Depression often causes people to feel sad, empty, or hopeless, and can cause a lack of interest in life. It can also affect a person's thinking patterns and physical health.
Anxiety
Anxiety can mean nervousness, worry, or self-doubt. Anxiety disorder is a mental health disorder that entails excessive, repeated bouts of worry, anxiety, and/or fear.
Loss/Grief
Grief is a reaction to an emotionally significant loss and often comes with symptoms of depression or anxiety. These symptoms can remain intense and last for a long time after a loss, making it difficult to move forward with a healthy lifestyle.
Women's issues
Women’s health is regarded as the holistic being and experience of being female. This extends beyond consideration for illness and other complex conditions but to general considerations of physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Issues may include female oppression, socialized gender role, female reproductive issues, motherhood, body image, divorce, and substance use.
General Expertise
Relationship Issues
Refers relationship issues with a partner or spouse. Can include issues related to relationship distress, relationship satisfaction, communication, intimacy, etc.
Social Anxiety
Social anxiety or social phobia is fear of social situations or a fear of interacting with people other than close friends and family. Social anxiety can be persistent, intense, and debilitating, greatly affecting daily life.
Abuse/Survivors of abuse
Abuse includes any significant mistreatment along the lines of psychical, emotional, sexual, verbal, and neglect. Survivors of abuse may experience negative thoughts and feelings, flashbacks, distrust of others, social withdrawal, self-harm, and increased likelihood of developing mental health and substance abuse issues.
Anger management
It's normal to experience anger at times, but for some, it becomes so frequent, intense, or difficult to control that it negatively affects their life. Anger management is a structured therapeutic approach toward reducing one’s anger to a point where more appropriate coping and/or conflict management skills are used. Beliefs and thoughts leading toward anger outbursts are explored while healthy coping and interpersonal skills are put into practice.
Attachment issues
Children that experience parents and/or guardians that are avoidant, ambivalent, or resistant from an early age, may develop attachment issues. This can manifest as difficulty forming or maintaining friendships, romantic relationships and empathetic bonds throughout life, as well as other issues.
Fees
$100
First Session
$150
Family Therapy
$150
Couples Therapy
$100
Individual Therapy
Types of Therapy
Family Session
Couples Session
Individual Session
Clientele
Parents
Young Adults (18-24)
Adults (25-65)
Seniors (65+)
Treatment Approaches / Modalities
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Family Systems Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
Person-Centered Therapy
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
Licensure
FL, LCSW, SW2625
Education
Masters Depress in Social Work, Florida International University Miami Florida
Work History
I started working in the children's hospital and then several adult medical hospitals focused on coping with medical illness both acute and chronic .From there progressed to assisting families cope with loss and grief.I wanted to enhance my knowledge in behavioral health and worked in adult and children's behavioral health hospitals and partial hospitalization eventually working with all ages in outpatient therapy which I have found to be the most rewarding to me .Recently I have worked more so with older folks with behavioral and medical issues.
Location
267 Brazilian Circle, Port St Lucie, 34952, FL