Counseling works! Whether you’re starting this process for the first time or coming back around and looking to dig deeper, successful counseling occurs when three specific conditions are met. 1) Right counselor. This means that you leave your sessions feeling heard and understood and that your counselor is ahead of you on the issue you’re seeking help with. 2) Right place. This could mean that you are able to get to the location or if you choose virtual counseling, it’s a good fit for you. 3) Right time. This is on you- is this the right time in your life to address the issue you are identifying? Timing means that you’re motivated to reach your goals and you can prioritize and protect your therapeutic work and your goals for growth.
Trauma, stress disorders, anxiety conditions, and attention impairments are often linked. With trauma and anxiety, the mind becomes focused on identifying threats and often finds them everywhere! Interpersonal trauma can come from daily interactions that are confusing or hurtful that the mind perceives as threatening. Over time, this can impact our ability to see ourselves, others, and the world in a fact-based and balanced way, which creates anxious or avoidant patterns in relationships. I refer to these patterns as relational or interpersonal anxiety. With attention impairments, the mind can struggle to disengage or direct attention away from threats and toward more important or balanced information in the environment.
Specialized counseling addresses the minds focus on threat, creating more flexibility in the mind to untighten the inner critic and allow less critical evaluation of others. We’ll practice skills and learn how to be present in the now, to focus on your values.
My hope is to engage you in the growth process. I am challenging and compassionate. I love the work I do, and I look forward to building a strong alliance with you. Am I the right counselor for you? Ask yourself:
Do you think about your relationships often based on past hurt or future worry?
Are you motivated for deeper reflection and awareness of yourself and others?
If you could connect better in key relationships, would your life improve?
I provide focused attention to all aspects of your emotional wellbeing, anxiety concerns, and relational health.
I offer you a safe and connected approach to counseling. I believe that holding a secure and healthy attachment in the therapy process brings strength, connection, courage, and hope.
Evidence-Based Therapies
I provide two evidence based trauma therapies
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). Check it out here: https://cptforptsd.com/cpt-provider-roster/
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Check it out here: https://www.emdria.org/about-emdr-therapy/
Education
My Ph.D. is in the field of counselor education and supervision. My doctoral research focused on counseling services for survivors of complex trauma and feminist mentorship.
I completed a masters degree in community mental health at NDSU in 2009.
I hold a bachelors degree in Psychology with a minor focus in Fashion Design (very relevant).
Professional Experience
I’m an experienced Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) and counselor supervisor, with a specialty in trauma healing, specific anxiety conditions, executive functioning, self-concept/identity development, and relational growth. You can expect specialized counseling in neurological perspectives of traumatic loss, the assessment, and treatment of PTSD, and healing from interpersonal trauma. I maintain licensure standards for ongoing education in evidence-based interventions.
I have thirteen years of post-masters experience providing both individual and group counseling. For the first eight years of my career, I worked with survivors of domestic violence and sexual violence, both children and adults. For the last five years I’ve worked in private practice focusing on trauma, anxiety conditions, and ADHD. Additionally, I have worked as a thought leader in innovation against trauma and vicarious trauma in the state of ND on Victims Of Crime Act (VOCA) grant projects. I have provided program development and coordination to create education, prevention and intervention tools for survivors of human trafficking, professionals that work with trauma survivors, and first responders. I frequently provide educational presentations nationally, to train professionals on the dynamics and healing process of trauma and trauma exposure.