Ever since I could remember, I spent most of my childhood visiting my mother in inpatient mental health treatment facilities. At this time, I did not understand nor comprehend why my mother was locked in a room by herself unable to freely move around. Her freedom or lack thereof was contingent upon a man or woman wearing white with keys jangling when they walked. It was an emotional roller coaster ride for me as my mother was a frequent flyer in and out of the inpatient facilities. This was and still are some of the first memories of my mother.
As I tried to cope and adapt to my mother being in and out of my life along with other trauma experienced, I struggled as a teenager to connect with her and even convey empathy or compassion for her. Ultimately, I could not understand how someone can become a prisoner of their own mind. I became a rebellious adolescent and behaved in inappropriate ways starving for a mother’s love and affection. I always wondered why I was the only girl out of all my friends that did not have emotional access to the woman who gave birth to me.
As an adult and so eager to develop knowledge and skills in mental health therapy, I welcomed the opportunity to be able to become a therapist with a goal to assist you in becoming the best version of yourself and not allowing negative experiences to hold you prisoner behaviorally and emotionally. At the end of the day, you do not have to be a victim of your past and you can live a happy and productive life now and in the future. YOU CAN FULFILL ALL YOUR HEART’S DESIRES!
Now, let me tell you about my credentials and interest….
I am a Licensed Profession Counselor (LPC) in the state of GA and have telehealth privileges in Florida. In addition, I am a Certified Grief Counselor GC-C. I have been in the health care industry for over 20 years and specialize in grief therapy. I am exceptionally eclectic in my therapeutic approach as modalities effectiveness differs from client to client. In addition, I have been trained in individual therapy, group counseling, crisis intervention, just to name a few. Some areas of experience and expertise include anxiety, sleep/insomnia issues, grief/loss, trauma, women’s issues, couples therapy, co-parenting issues, work/life balance, anger management, coping skills, self-esteem, behavioral issues, and depression.
How can I help you?
It is imperative to understand that in working together, honesty and trust are paramount in the therapeutic relationship. Without this, the therapeutic process will not be effective. You are the expert of your own life. I am not here to judge your experiences but rather assist you to get where you need to be emotionally and behaviorally. I am here as a tool; I am NOT here to tell you what to do but to help bring you to self-actualization so you can make the best choices and decisions that will benefit your life in a positive, healthy, and productive way. Hence, your ability to connect with me will be the number one factor determining how well we work together. My main priority is for you to achieve your goals. I am here to meet you where you are and build our relationship with the foundation of respect, compassion, and empathy.
My hope is that you will learn to master your life by developing an in-depth understanding of who you are, learning how others perceive you, engaging the strengths you have to offer, assist you in connecting with your inner resources and develop the confidence to take consistent action. I can’t fix your life or your problems for you. Only you can. I can help you gain more clarity, more understanding, and form a plan of action, but therapy is not a magic pill that erases all issues. It takes work, but if you’re up for the challenge, I’ll be there every step of the way and it is my pleasure to share in this journey with you.
Please clink on the Approaches tap for a list and description for my most used modalities and interventions!
