About

What to Expect During Therapy

I view psychotherapy as a collaborative process in which we will work together to identify problems, set treatment goals, and work together to achieve those goals. In the first one to two sessions, your reasons for seeking treatment and concerns will be discussed, and I will gather information from you about your personal history and current life situation. I may also request that you complete psychological assessment inventories to further assist in identifying concerns, making diagnoses, and formulating treatment goals.

As therapy begins, I am likely to suggest readings or other activities for you to engage in outside of session, which I believe will increase the likelihood of a successful outcome for you. As treatment continues, your progress will be periodically assessed and modifications will be made to your treatment as needed.

Please know that I value the suggestions you may have to make our work together more beneficial for you. YOU are the expert of you! I will use my experience, education, and training to work with you to achieve your identified goals.

Liberation Psychotherapy

Psychologist and Jesuit priest Ignacio Martín–Baró developed Liberation Psychology to examine how oppressive systems impact individuals and communities. Liberation Psychology challenges the idea that psychopathology is a purely individualistic fault, and instead things like anxiety, depression, PTSD, psychosis, etc. exist within the framework of and as a response to oppressive systems outside of the oppressed’s control. Liberation Psychology seeks to cultivate critical awareness of these oppressive frameworks in which we exist, recontextualize “psychopathology” in the framework of social and societal relations, and de-emphasize the role of the individual to instead re-focus on the role of the pathology of the sociopolitical.

In other words, we as individuals are not isolated, intrapsychic processes; we are conditioned due to our environments, our societies, and our cultures. Our societies, institutions, and cultures have been shaped on oppressive, hierarchical , discriminatory ideologies that promote inequity. Systems of oppression, like systemic racism, sexism, ageism, ableism, heterosexism, transmisia, and classism, have been woven into the foundations of United States law, culture, and culture.

By refocusing pathology from the individual to the societal, we can use psychotherapy as a tool to empower clients and create transformative action to shift the oppressive systems within our society. I believe that my role as a psychotherapist is to recognize power imbalances in relationships (including the therapeutic relationship) and in society, to teach clients the skills to critically examine their circumstances, to identify and investigate the causes of their oppression, and to discover new ways of responding and acting.

Liberation psychology does not mean we are not responsible for our own healing. It simply acknowledges that the systems in which we live are fundamentally discriminatory and oppressive, and we must navigate ways to find meaningful action to empower ourselves and one another to create the changes and communities we need.

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Pronouns: she, her

I received my bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of West Georgia and moved to Seattle, WA to get my Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Saybrook University. While there, I worked in inpatient and outpatient behavioral health settings and gravitated towards working with children, adolescents, and families who experienced trauma. I also worked extensively with chronically homeless adults, where I learned the importance of resource and social security in positive treatment outcomes for individuals and families.

I have cultivated a skill-set to help clients process and heal from trauma, and I use a blend of Somatic (body-based) work, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. I am a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and am trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. My clinical work is based in the context of the family, and I work with the family members of clients when appropriate. I also have extensive experience and a passion for working with neuro-diverse clients and am certified in AutPlay Therapy. I am provisionally certified in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy through the University of California San Diego’s Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute.

I value each client’s unique cultural background and believe in the importance of equity, access, participation, and harmony in each client’s life. I am an ally to the LGBTQ+ community and the BIPOC community.

I moved back home to Georgia in 2018 with my two dogs and two cats. I find a deep joy in nature and enjoy gardening, music, hiking, biking, and baking. I have one child, who I love dearly.