Why did you become a therapist, and what motivates you to continue?

I knew from the start that I always wanted to help others. I have always been that go to person that friends and family came to and expressed their feelings and thoughts. I provide a warm and non judgmental environment where my clients always feel very comfortable. It’s motivating to see my clients make progress and evolve in a positive direction 

You deserve to be living your BEST life. Your mental and physical health are interconnected and you need to take care of yourself to reach your full potential. How you love yourself, is how you teach others to love you. I create a safe space in my therapy sessions where clients can feel free to express their thoughts, feelings, and concerns in a non-judgemental setting. I help my clients with the challenges they face at home, work, and school. I work with families and couples to help improve communication and marital/relationship issues.

I became a therapist because I’ve always wanted to make a difference in people's lives. It has been a passion of mine to help people understand themselves so they can feel empowered. My clients matter, and I care about their well-being so being able to be apart of their life that’s changing for the better is what motivates me to do the work I do. 

Have you been worried, sad, stressed, or even facing daily challenges that seem unbearable to manage? Trying to manage our emotions can be difficult, and at times our mind and body are trying to warn us to stop and take some time to focus on ourselves, but we ignore it. I’ve experienced this myself, and still learning new ways to cope. These are common feelings that most of us experience when we are struggling to cope and regulate our thoughts and emotions due to life stressors. I understand it can be scary to take that leap in seeking help, but you’ve already accomplished the first step of browsing for resources, which is great!  Now it’s your time to shine and reclaim your power. As a therapist, I mainly utilize person-centered interventions, a collaborative approach that means you’re the expert regarding your life experiences. I will take your lead to help you realize your fullest potential by providing tools, activities, and exercises so that you can learn the triggers that may impact you, new ways to cope, and improve your overall skills. My job is to help you feel comfortable expressing yourself and provide a safe, non-judgmental space for you to be yourself and feel whole again. I’m an LLMSW who has experience working with teens, young adults, and seniors who struggled with negative thoughts, high anxiety, depression, grief, and more. But my passion is to help anyone, no matter their race, gender, religion, or sexuality, who needs someone to talk to and to listen to them. I am committed to working with you. You will not be alone in this journey because we are in this together. So if you’re ready to take that next step, contact me today, and we’ll start your healing journey!

Due to nature, inclination, temperament, and aspiration, I have always been a natural counselor. People always seem to feel comfortable with me, telling me their life stories and coming to me for help. They somehow know they will get warm rapport, understanding, and creativity while being treated with kindness, respect, and sensitivity. I have a graduate education, training, multiple and evolving skills, and DECADES of experience in clinical, school, and community settings with people of all ages and backgrounds. What should someone know about working with you? Counseling, coaching, and therapy — no matter who they’re for — are about trust first and foremost. Do you trust your heart, mind, soul, feelings, truths, aspirations, and delicate inner-self in the hands of this other person? While recognizing this, the core of my work and engagement with you involves kindness, caring, compassion, and creativity, which comes out of my sincere desire to help. There is no theory or book-based technique that is more important than you. I will offer you warmth, understanding, respect, rapport, skills, and sensitivity while helping you reach your goals. I believe the answers and solutions reside in you, and I will help you reach your highest potential and grow in your happiness, understanding, confidence, and functioning. What are you most excited about within the evolving mental health landscape? I’m most excited about getting out of the box to do what's best for the client. For so long, mental health counseling and therapy treatment were structured around the needs and bureaucracy of the profession. It was similar to schools being structured to meet the needs of administrators and teachers instead of students. Telehealth is one fortuitous example of getting out of the box and getting out of the bounds of treatment styles and theoretical approaches to do what is best for each client as opposed to what meets the needs of the practitioner. If you are ready for counseling, treatment, and coaching (or whatever you want to call it) that is out of the box and made for you, I can help. This is what I believe in. “I believe the answers and solutions reside in you, and I will help you reach your highest potential and grow in your happiness, understanding, confidence, and functioning.”

Over twenty years experience helping adults, children, and adolescents overcome obstacles to greater happiness and success. I bring out and support the special qualities of each and every person at their own level, and provide support, insight, understanding and practical solution focused guidance and assistance. If seasoned professional input regarding school, career, family, relationship, behavioral or personal progress could be of benefit, please call me to discuss how I can help. Warm, thoughtful, objective professional counseling, assessment, psychotherapy and consulting services. New! Offering virtual reality and biofeedback modalities as adjunct to treatment for phobias, anxiety, trauma, OCD, addiction, fears. (Additional VR / Biofeedback fees would apply). Services are available through video and phone telehealth, in the office; and by special arrangement at home, school, work and other settings, as needed.

I have a heart for people and want to see people living their best life.

Over 20 years of experience in human services to women, children and families.

My path to becoming a therapist is rooted in growing up in a household where feelings and emotions were taught to be masked. The discomfort felt of always having to be happy, led me to seek a career in which I could help others normalize feelings associated with sadness, worry, anger, disappointment, etc. When I was introduced to the field of social work, I knew this path would allow me to empower others in feeling comfortable stepping into their emotions. 

Sometimes our thoughts can lead us to feeling overwhelmed and trapped in our own heads. Allow me to help you unpack those negative thoughts, and empower you to create positive affirming ones. My goal is to work together with my clients to aid them in getting better acquainted with their emotions, and help them understand the relationship between their thoughts feelings and behaviors. As your therapist I will help you navigate various pressures, and triggers in order to be more insightful as a means of coping. My specialties include work with children, adolescents, adults, families, couples, and the LGBTQIA+ community whom are coping with anxiety, depression, body image, life changes, bi-polar disorder, ADHD, and other related conditions. Starting therapy and opening up to someone can be unnerving. Building a therapeutic alliance takes time, and trust. When working with clients, our foundation towards progress would be building rapport in order to establish goals, and work towards progress. I invite you to schedule a FREE 20 minute meet and greet ( consultation) to discuss how I can further support your needs and to gain a sense of familiarity with one another. 

Growing up in an alcoholic family I yearned for the hope of healing from the wounds of my parents, which they projected onto my sibling and I. Through my own sobriety and experience with psychotherapy I received the support and insight I needed to begin and continue my healing journey. My motivation is to help others feel supported, seen, heard and empowered to heal their own wounds and live a life beyond their wildest dreams.

In my work, I take an integrative approach to each person, knowing that we are the sum of our parts. I draw from my extensive training, studies and lived experiences in mindfulness, somatic & nervous system based therapies, attachment theory, psychodynamic theory and many other therapeutic approaches. I am warm and empathetic and easily create a compassionate, safe and collaborative environment while also being direct. This serves as the foundation of our therapeutic relationship and catalyst for gaining helpful insight and creating meaningful and lasting change in your life. We will look at long-standing behavior patterns, negative perceptions and limiting beliefs that are holding you back and work to implement the changes you need to make to move forward and create a life you love and celebrate!  

I am a therapist because I am very interested in helping people with problems solving strategies to improve their well being. I am a great listener and I have been call to this work.

I am a licensed clinical social worker who is culturally competent and trauma informed. I am accepting new clients in my private practice who are interested in becoming their authentic selves. Start, heal and restore yourself with my therapeutic supports and coping strategies.

It has always been a passion since I was a little girl to help others.

I am currently a student for my Masters of Social Work. I went into my master program after receiving a Bachelors of Science in Psychology. I have always had a passion to work with people of all ages since I was a child. At the age of 17 years old I started my college journey towards achieving my goal. I am still striving to master that journey till this day. It is a passion to help others. I believe if we can help one person at a time find their peace, then we can continue one after another until one day we can all find peace and happiness. Happiness is key in life. We all struggle, but in that struggle we can come out on top. In my down time, I enjoy spending time with my son. My son and I loves sports, art, music, anything to do with the water, gaming, amusement parks, and much more.

Dorothy has always loved to help soothe and counsel others, therapy is made for her. Her motivation stems from the passion to see others lives improve. She believes everyone has the wisdom to grow, change, and be happy. Her goal is to help you see your wisdom and value.

Dorothy (she/her) received a Master’s Degree in 2007 and PhD in Clinical Psychology in 2017, from Alliant International University. Dorothy has been working in a variety of mental health capacities since 2006. Dorothy uses evidence based practices such as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, Humanistic Therapy/Person Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Play Therapy, Seeking Safety, Art Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Trauma Informed Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Applied Behavioral Analysis and Mental Health Education. Dorothy has broad experience providing child, adolescent, individual, group, family, and couples therapy. Dorothy is an LGBTQ+ ally, is sex-positive, and accepting of clients from all cultures and backgrounds. Dorothy accepts Insurance, EAP referrals, HSA/FSA and Private Pay. Her private-pay fee is $110/session, with some limited sliding scale slots starting at $60. Dorothy loves the ocean, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.