meet our team

Pregnancy and the postpartum period can be an extremely emotional experience for moms (and dads).  From preconception planning to the time period after a baby is born, many changes happen mentally and physically that can make this time period challenging.  As many as 1 in 7 moms and 1 in 10 dads will experience a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder (PMAD).  PMADs can occur at any point from conception through postpartum, sometimes extending into a lengthy course of time if not treated.  If you are a mom/dad with limited resources or therapeutic support, you might feel alone, helpless and fearful of how to ask for help with PMADs.

I provide screening and assessment in order to work with moms/dads in addressing perinatal mental health issues and ongoing individual therapy.  I welcome moms, dads or couples struggling with fertility or pregnancy loss concerns as these are particularly sensitive experiences that often evoke feelings such as shame, guilt and depression.  

I believe in the importance of bridging the relationship between clinician and client. I aim to make my therapeutic environment warm and welcoming. I believe that an efficient provider is one who has a strong community connection with other resource providers and can provide a well-rounded treatment model. 

• Forensic Evaluations
• Child Custody (Best Interest of Child Evaluations)
• Substance Use Evaluations
• Disability Evaluations

 My Website: http://balanced-wellness.org/ 

• Trained to work with individuals and families who have experienced trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, anger, family conflict, physical, emotional and sexual abuse. I enjoy assisting individuals and families with finding solutions without judgment and believe the recovery process is a combination of finding balance in our lives through mental, physical and spiritual wellness. If you are feeling "stressed out", "tired" or "lost", let's work together to work through those negative emotions to more positive emotions.

• I am trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as well as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. In addition, I take an eclectic approach to therapy and tailor therapy to the individual or family and their unique needs.

• Empathetic to people with a variety of disorders, my career has afforded me the opportunity to work with people from all walks of life. I have worked with children, teens, adults, geriatrics, inmates and the military. Through my experiences I have assisted with helping people find a better balance in their lives.

• Adolescents/Adults
• Mood Disorders (Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar)
• Self-Esteem, Anger Management, and other behavioral health related issues
• Substance Use Disorders

• I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and an Associate Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist. I specialize in workingwith ADHD and depression in adolescents and teens. I have a passion for helping kids and teens create personal change and flourish. I commonly work with adults that are struggling with anxiety, addictions, depression related difficulties. My sessions integrate cognitive behavioral therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and motivational enhancement techniques to facilitate change.

• I deeply and sincerely believe that when we feel we can be understood, safe and supported we can begin to observe our fears, negative perceptions and often unconscious distressing patterns with curiosity and gentleness. You can develop and build an awareness that allows for acceptance, questioning, and changing your(selves) and your relationships.

•  It takes courage to seek for a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. If you are ready to take that step I am here to support and empower you. 

• Anxiety disorders
• Chemical dependency
• Depression
• Mood disorders
• Self-harming behaviors
• Parenting Issues
• Self-esteem
• Career difficulties
• Anger Management

 I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist, a Registered Nurse,  a Duke Certified Integrative Health Coach and a level II iRest Yoga Nidra practitioner. I have worked in the Healthcare field for 25+ years, now providing compassionate psychotherapy to help you find peace & happiness. 

 I am trained in many evidence-based, empirically supported therapeutic modalities to include Gottman Couples Therapy,  Discernment Counseling, EMDR/Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing,  EMI/Eye Movement Integration,  TRM/Trauma Resiliency Model, Ego States,  CBT/Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Ericksonian Hypnosis, i-Rest Yoga Nidra, & Solution Focused Therapy to name a few. Additionally l trained in Mindfulness and Meditative based modalities.  

 Psychotherapy i.e  Therapy or counseling is a collaborative process ... a partnership with a HOLISTIC APPROACH.  You have identified the need for help & have courageously taken the first steps of making & keeping your first appointment.  My job is to provide a safe, confidential relationship in which you can explore your concerns & hopes , as well as to help you grow with integrity in your relationships with others and yourself. Integrative therapy is a progressive form of psychotherapy that combines a variety of therapeutic tools & approaches to fit your individual needs. With an understanding of normal human development, an integrative therapist modifies standard treatments to fill in developmental gaps that affect each client in different ways. By combining elements drawn from different schools of psychological theory and research, integrative therapy becomes a more flexible and inclusive approach to treatment than more traditional, singular forms of psychotherapy. 

 Couples Counseling 

 Couples counseling is talking , listening, understanding & learning.  You & your partner, along with your therapist will talk about your problems, together we will learn how to deal with these problems. We will learn more about your partner & how to help them by giving them the love they need in the way that they need it. In return, you will learn about what you need in your relationship & then communicate that to your partner, so that you both feel heard , connected , loved & validated. I utilize Discernment Counseling, the Gottman Method as an approach to couples therapy that includes a thorough assessment of the couples relationship & integrates research-based interventions based on the Sound Relationship House Theory, AND Emotion Focused Therapy developed by Sue Johnson.  

  EMDR & Trauma Treatment 

  EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences and optimize your mental health and wellbeing. EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma. Additionally, I utilize other approaches in conjunction with EMDR, such as  Ego States/IFS, Mindfulness, Yoga Nidra , and Somatic Integration dependent on the individuals needs.  

 Mindfulness Meditation and Yoga Nidra

iRest is a meditation practice based on the ancient tradition of Yoga Nidra and adapted to suit the conditions of modern life. When practiced regularly - a little and often - iRest enables you to meet each moment of your life with unshakable peace and wellbeing, no matter how challenging or difficult your situation.

Integrative Health Coaching

Integrative Health Coaching (IHC) empowers you to make lasting health behavior changes that are the cornerstones of lifelong well-being in both your physical and mental health. It bridges the gap between medical recommendations and your abilities to successfully implement those recommendations into your complex life. Integrative health coaches work with the whole person, take time to listen to your concerns, and ask powerful questions to help motivate you to make changes.

• Coaches utilize the Duke Integrative Medicine Wheel of Health to facilitate inquiry and personal discovery.
• Coaching helps facilitate behavior change in a structured, supportive partnership between you and your coach.
• Coaches can help you to identify obstacles to change and create strategies for forward movement.
• Coaches provide additional resources for making healthy behavior changes.
• Sessions can take place over the telephone, or in person

My Website:  https://integrativepsychotherapyandwellnesscounseling.com/ 

I am a Marine spouse and mother of two with experience working with active duty veterans and military families facing military service issues. I also have specific training in positive parenting strategies and techniques in working with children with behavioral and/or special needs. 

• Child or Adolescent
• Parenting
• Anxiety