Better Days and Nights,  P   L    L    C  

About me:

Are you feeling stuck, unsure how to move forward in life? Do you see yourself following the same unhealthy patterns with the same negative results? Are you ready to take the first step in creating a new, healthier life? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, I would like to have the opportunity to work with you.

I am a recently graduated Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate (LCSW-A) from East Tennessee State University. I have experience working with people diagnosed with mental illnesses, substance use disorders, PTSD, and trauma in both group and individual therapies. I came to this profession later in life, due to the challenges (opportunities) that life has handed me. I have experienced grief, loss, trauma, divorce, remarriage, motherhood, addiction, successes, and failures. I believe that this combination of life experiences, education, and an empathetic, compassionate personality, give me the tools to be able to help you reach your wellness goals.

My approach to therapy is person-centered with a strengths-based perspective. I believe that each client has the ability to make positive changes, but not necessarily the right tools to do so. I use Motivational Interviewing to assess a client’s readiness to change. I mainly use Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients develop tools/coping skills to assist them in changing unhelpful and negative thought processes. I also teach mindfulness techniques that clients can keep in their “pocket” whenever they are feeling overwhelmed.

I view the client-therapist relationship as a collaborative effort. I expect both of us to be equally prepared to engage in the therapeutic process. Together, we will determine treatment goals and develop exercises and “homework” for you to use between sessions. My role is to assist you in reaching your therapeutic objectives while providing a non-judgmental, safe environment.