I am a Clinical Social Worker licensed in North Carolina with over 14 years of experience working as a counselor/therapist and over 18 years total working as a social worker with clients struggling with various issues, including depression, anxiety, unhealed/unaddressed trauma, difficulty with life transitions/decisions, unhealthy and/or abusive relationships, parenting struggles, loss of identity/sense of self, religious trauma/deconstruction, transition to adulthood, and boundary-setting. My therapeutic approach is creative and relational; I show up authentically as exactly who I am and how I show up for friends, family, and my children. I firmly believe that “use of self” or the rapport we develop and the relationship we build is not only important, but integral, to your healing and progress. I am warm, nurturing, non-judgmental, and honest in a gentle and affirming way. I am not the therapist you feel you need to hold things back from. My regard for you is unconditional and is not swayed by anything you might share about what has transpired in your life so far. I view everyone in my life—including my clients—through a lens that assumes we are all doing the best we can with the knowledge and tools we have. Sometimes we cannot do better because we have not yet developed the clarity of vision, the skills, or the self-compassion we need to move forward with our lives in a way that leads to our growth and happiness. I like to incorporate elements of my favorite theoretical approaches in my work with clients that are tailored to each individual person and their needs: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Internal Family Systems (inner child work), Attachment Theory, and art (writing, journaling, music, or any other kinds of creative self-expression). We are all a work in progress. It takes a great deal of courage to open up to someone and I consider it an honor to listen to someone’s story. I can assure you that we will set concrete and actionable goals, and walk your journey together with you as the expert of your own life, and me helping to guide and empower you.