Dakota Soto

Introduction: One may assume most people think of sensitivity as the opposite of resilience. At resilient souls, we work together to find strength in the sensitivity. Have you ever felt like no one understands how deeply you feel things? From feelings, to the weight of thoughts, to the energy of others, and even within the space of your environment? Does it sometimes get overwhelming, as if you are not sure how to navigate the high's and low's that these sensations bring? Do you sometimes feel ashamed for feeling things so strongly or intensely, as if you are burdening others, or even yourself? At Resilient Souls, your sensitivity is welcomed and honored. We will help you accept and nurture yourself for all that you are. We will dig to the depths together to bring meaning, awareness, and understanding to your rawest and most vulnerable parts. This will allow you to move forward, tackling each day and relational encounter with increased clarity, direction, wisdom, and emotional maturity. Without the knowledge of How to process one's senses, emotions, thoughts and beliefs, one may experience heightened or sporadic levels of anxiety and depression, in addition to relationship issues or challenges. One may fear, "Is this ever going to get better? Is this how I will always feel/think/believe/be?" This may lead to a shut down and/or an attempt to numb out. However, that can only last for so long. Some people think of sensitive people as empaths. Others, such as Elaine Aron, have coined the term HSP to indicate a highly sensitive person. Sometimes sensitivities develop through trauma, and other times through genetics. Regardless, I am referring to those individuals that easily pick up on and perceive/experience the moods of others around them, as well as sudden or minute shifts in their environment. If this sounds similar to you, what do you typically do in these circumstances? How does this affect your relationships? What about how you navigate your space? How confident are you in your ability to navigate relationships when you perceive others as sensitive and insensitive? How will you know when these traits are fully harnessed within you? About Dakota and her Approach: Hello all - Dakota here! I chose to become a therapist to provide a new layer of access to mental health care. The journey began as a school based therapist for three years, then switching to group private practice in 2022. Working in this setting inspired me to start my own practice two years later. I strive for each client to feel comfortable and safe, and will never force an individual to share something that they are not ready to talk about. However, I do not shy away from challenging my clients for their own personal growth. I believe we heal through connecting with other humans that can provide a safe space to rebuild attachments, as well as form healthy beliefs and ideas about the self and others. I mainly cater to the individual from an internal family systems and acceptance and commitment therapy perspective. I am internal family systems trained and informed. I will also utilize systems and attachment theory to work with other family members, including partners and parents of teenagers. I often pull from John Gottman's work when meeting with couples. Experience and Identity: Dakota has over seven years of experience in the mental health field. She obtained her bachelor's degree in psychology from Eastern Connecticut State University and her master's degree in family therapy from Nova Southeastern University. That amounts to 11 years of education and post-graduate clinical experience. She has worked in a variety of settings, from an outreach center for the homeless, to alternative and public schools throughout Tennessee and Florida. She has personal experience with the Hispanic population. She also identifies as a HSP/Highly Sensitive Person and Gifted adult. She has experience navigating perfectionism. She strives to be inclusive of all populations. She has experience with women's health conditions. She is a child of a divorced family. She is a twin-less twin. In her free time, Dakota enjoys hiking, traveling, aerial arts, gardening, musical endeavors, and spending time with friends, family, her husband and cat. Services and Fees: Resilient Souls, PLLC offers individual and couples sessions that run for 50 minutes. The initial sessions look more like information gathering, while the following sessions expand in depth. Providers accept United Healthcare/Optum, Aetna, and BlueCross and BlueShield Commercial insurance plans, and Lyra. Tenncare, Medicaid and Medicare plans are NOT accepted. Our private pay rate is $150 per session. Resilient Souls, PLLC also offers a limited sliding scale* from $100-$150 for those who have a yearly household income <80K. This will occur as follows: 0-35K = $100; 35-40K = $105; 40-45K = $110; 45-50K = $115; 50-55K = $120; 55-60K = $125; 60-65K = $130; 65-70K = $135; 70-75K = $140; 75-79K = $145. If you are wanting to use insurance for a couples session, please be advised that one member of the partnership will be required to receive a diagnosis for billing purposes. *Sliding scale does not apply for couples counseling.