What does success look like in therapy? How will a client know that they are making progress?
Success looks different for everyone. Typically during the first session, I work with the client to identify goals and understand their expectations from therapy. A client will know they are making progress in many ways, but a primary one will be there will be more "good" moments than "bad" moments along with feeling more well-equipped to handle life's challenges is another way a client may notice they are making progress.
What was your path to becoming a therapist? What inspired you to choose this profession?
I started out very interested in forensic psychology and remain interested as I was set out to become a psychologist; however, I then realized I wanted to specifically do counseling without various other roles and duties. I wanted to be able to focus on the client without distraction and provide the most productive and effective experience for them.
If there was one thing you wish people knew about the therapy experience who might be hesitant to try it, what would that be?
Starting therapy can be intimidating for sure. I would encourage most people to think about it as a neutral, outside party that is solely here to listen to you and support you. It's a time where you can prioritize you and your needs without feeling like you owe the same level of support in return. It's your session.
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.
Adolescent mental health
Adolescent mental health focuses on adolescent-specific experiences including physical and cognitive development, social and environmental factors, sex, sexual identification and orientation, emotional processing, and substance use. Given the influence that parents/guardians have on adolescents, home life is a particularly important consideration.
Compulsive behavior
Engaging repeatedly in excessive behavior despite harmful consequences. People experiencing compulsion often feel unable to control behavior, which can interfere with daily life and relationships. Not uncommon for them to also experience anxiety and depression.
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
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.
Relationship Issues
Refers relationship issues with a partner or spouse. Can include issues related to relationship distress, relationship satisfaction, communication, intimacy, etc.
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.
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.
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.
Fees
$120
First Session
$130
Family Therapy
$130
Couples Therapy
$130
Group Therapy
$100
Individual Therapy
Types of Therapy
Group Session
Family Session
Individual Session
Couples Session
Clientele
Young Adults (18-24)
Adults (25-65)
Children (5-12)
Adolescents (13-17)
Treatment Approaches / Modalities
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
Motivational Interviewing
Person-Centered Therapy
Play Therapy
Training / Certifications
National Certified Counselor
Licensure
PA, LPC, PC012490
Education
MS, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Walden University
MS, Forensic Psychology, Walden University
Work History
Hello! I am a licensed professional counselor in Pennsylvania with over 10 years of experience working within the mental health field. I have a dual master’s degree in Forensic Psychology and Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I strive to provide a safe and comfortable atmosphere for individuals to develop effective coping skills for life’s challenges. Utilizing a client-centered approach first and foremost allows me to approach each client with compassion and respect and empower the client to influence positive change by improving their quality of life. I recognize the importance of building rapport with clients to lay a foundation for a productive and effective counselor-client relationship. My counseling style will focus on incorporating the best treatment modalities for you, your presenting concerns, and personality. My approach combines cognitive behavioral therapy, client-centered, and motivational interviewing; however, I will tailor our treatment approach to meet your specific needs and address any concerns to work towards creating a more fulfilling and happier life. I have worked with clients ranging from children to older adults with various concerns including anxiety, depression, self-esteem challenges, career changes, substance abuse, ADHD, relationship issues, and ASD among others. Additionally, I have worked with individuals dealing with traumatic experiences. I also have experience working with addictions counseling and anger management. My counseling experience includes different settings such as individual, family, couples, and groups.
Location
500 University Dr, Hershey, PA 17033, Hershey, 17033, PA