I have been conducting therapy for a total of six years. I have worked with clients endeavoring through intense trauma, psychological crisis, addiction, anxiety, depression, stress management, unhealthy patterns, self-image, interpersonal relationship issues, and life in general. I have created strong therapeutic relationships with clients from differing socioeconomic statuses, genders, ages, and life-stages. I have run mindfulness training and stress-relief exercises. I continuously aspire to continue my education and sharpen my skills. I practice through a person-centered, integrative, and eclectic perspective. I have received specialized training in EMDR, mindfulness, DBT, sexual trauma, and addictions. I am culturally competent and am an advocate for those who are queer and gender non-conforming. In addition to my experience, I hold a Masters Degree in Counseling, a Bachelors Degree in English and a Bachelors Degree in Radio, Television, and Film. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Nationally Certified Counselor. Therapy and clients ignite and excite me. I am passionate about helping individuals and communities; I love what I do. My beliefs about mental health are an immense part of who I am at my core. It is not a job, it is a calling. You can consider me an emotional guardian and professional secret keeper. In a session, I start with the person, the energy, the issues, intuition, information, and goals. I believe that each client is an individual person and that people are doing the best they can with what they have. I appreciate the resilience and bravery it takes for all clients to envision and practice a better version of themselves. It is like being given the opportunity to watch an inspirational and transformational movie in real time. As a therapist, it is imperative to understand what a person wants, where they come from, what they are struggling with, and what they are looking for. I then use the best of what I know to help; if I don’t know, I research, I ask, and I learn. Change can be demonstrated in any growth, unseen emotional experiences, small and large victories, and behavioral changes. Change is reaching goals and your own idea of your potential, experiencing relief, gaining insight, and the little moments that make that happen. Change is fluid and continuous. Therapy is both a science and an art. In order for change to manifest within therapy, it first takes a strong counselor and client relationship. Therapists should have a disposition that is authentic, present, empathetic, knowledgeable, accepting, patient, and skilled. It takes being the person someone can trust to hold their secrets and guide them in the healing and the development of their best self. In the therapy room, I’m a lot like I am outside of it. I have a tendency to sit with my legs criss-crossed applesauce style in session and I talk with my hands. I’m completely down to lay down with my clients (after asking permission, of course) to teach them deep breathing or practice meditations with them. I’m a visual learner, so I also like to draw pictures when I’m explaining something or teaching a new technique. I believe in the holistic qualities of the healing arts. I believe in therapy that is non-judgmental, humanistic, goal-centered, person-centered, integrative, and eclectic. I believe in authenticity in life and in sessions and I try to practice what I preach on a regular basis. I never assign or expect clients to attempt anything I would not be willing to try myself. I believe in the artistry of therapy and am grateful for the honor and responsibility of sharing moments of people’s lives and stories. I think that humor is one of a therapist’s best tools. I believe in immediacy and presence in sessions. I believe in the power of understanding where you come from and what your patterns are, and also in practicing and creating the life you want for yourself. I believe that therapists and clients are constantly changing and pulsing with life and possibility, and that the therapeutic experience should reflect that creative fluidity. I believe in self-actualization and striving for whatever your yoda-status may be, even while learning to feel peaceful where you are now.