What was your path to becoming a therapist? What inspired you to choose this profession?
I’ve known since high school that I was very intrigued with psychology, primarily abnormal psychology. However, I knew that I didn’t want to pursue getting my master’s degree because, by golly, I’d been in school my entire life! I was ready to graduate and start adulting. Upon graduating, I started and stayed in a career in a field that brought absolutely no fulfillment. I wanted to do something I was passionate about. Deep down, I knew what that meant. After years of contemplating, I finally applied for grad school and obtained my master’s degree in professional counseling to fulfill my lifelong dream.
What does a first session with you look like?
The initial consultation will allow both you and I to determine if we’re a great fit for one another. In this first session, we will discuss what brings you into therapy, the process of therapy, and how we will work together towards reaching your goals.
How do you determine therapy goals with clients? What does that process look like?
In the initial session, I conduct what’s known as a psychosocial assessment. This helps me identify your primary concerns and triggers, while possibly uncovering unresolved issues within your past. At the end of the assessment, I compare your chief complaints with issues I’ve identified and together we determine therapeutic goals best suite your needs.
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.
Self-Esteem
Self-esteem is the degree to which a person feels confident, valuable, and worthy of respect. Feeling low self-esteem can influence overall well-being and be linked to anxiety and/or depression.
Trauma
Trauma is the result of experiencing a perceived, extremely distressful event. Although the stress threshold for each person differs, meaning that each person considers and experiences trauma differently, it is an event that tops one’s threshold. It exceeds one’s ability to cope or emotionally process. Symptoms may include shock, anxiety, confusion, hopelessness, feeling disconnected, mood swings, nightmares, and intrusive thoughts.
Coping Skills
Coping skills are tools and techniques one can learn, practice, and use to handle difficult emotions, decrease stress, and establish or maintain a sense of internal order.
General Expertise
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.
Self-Esteem
Self-esteem is the degree to which a person feels confident, valuable, and worthy of respect. Feeling low self-esteem can influence overall well-being and be linked to anxiety and/or depression.
Sexuality Based Issues
Sexuality refers to habits and preferences in terms of sexual behavior, which people express in many ways. Issues in this area may be related to confusion or distress about sexuality or sexual identity.
In-Network Insurance
Cigna
Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare
Optum
Oscar Health
Oxford Health Plans
United Healthcare
United Medical Resources
Fees
$150
Couples Therapy
$120
Individual Therapy
Types of Therapy
Couples Session
Individual Session
Clientele
Young Adults (18-24)
Adults (25-65)
Treatment Approaches / Modalities
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Mindfulness Practices
Person-Centered Therapy
Training / Certifications
Anger Management
EMDR
Basic Trauma Support
Licensure
TX, LPC, 80479
Education
Master of Arts in Professional Counseling
Work History
I firmly believe in meeting the client in where they are in their life’s journey, creating a place free of judgment or barriers. I believe everyone has the chance for personal growth and can benefit from therapy. The mind can create cognitive distortions, inaccurate thoughts that produce negative emotions. My belief is that challenging those negative thoughts at their onset is the best line of defense to keep you from reinforcing the negative thought pattern. I’ve worked with clients that have experienced depression, anxiety, grief, psychosis, relationship concerns, self-esteem, LGBT+ and all forms of trauma. I obtained therapeutic experience working in both an inpatient mental health facility and a private practice setting with various acuity levels. I have counseled diverse backgrounds and all age groups ranging from pediatrics to geriatrics.
Location
700 Central Expressway South, Suite 400, Allen, 75013, TX