Why did you become a therapist, and what motivates you to continue?
I decided to become a therapist when I was volunteering with a suicide prevention and crisis hotline in college. As someone that has personally struggled with mental health, I knew that there had to be supports out there and I wanted to be part of the solution. My continued motivation is inspired by how many new things I can learn each day from working with others.
My belief is that every person needs support to work through life’s most challenging problems, and therapy is just one avenue of support. I have experience working in diverse settings including detention center, community based, outpatient, school, in-home, and residential with a diverse range of clients ages three to late adulthood.
I use a person-centered, strengths-based approach to create a collaborative, non-judgmental and empathetic environment, working toward the ultimate goals of each individual. My goal is to collaborate with individuals to promote healing and develop coping skills and self-management skills.
Each individual I work with is the expert in their life, and I aim to help individuals feel heard, understood, supported, and empowered.