Ground Shaking Family Therapy

As a LMFT, I am trained to look at the whole picture, not just the person in front of me. By that I mean, everything we are a part of, everything we have gone through, and everything that we are currently dealing with are parts of the "puzzle" that makes up who we are. As they say in Internal Family Systems (IFS) a part of you is... [insert issue, organization, characteristic, etc. here]. This is the part of my profession that I absolutely love! I want to get to know all about your adventures in life both good and bad as they are what make you... YOU! I do this work by getting information on your family system and any other important systems that you have been or are currently involved in. I conduct genograms (click here to learn what these are) with my clients as this helps me understand their world and experiences better. As an LMFT, I am also not heavily reliant on the diagnostic model of mental health. So, although we might be dealing with something that is located in the DSM (the manual we use to diagnose mental health issues) and I might give you a diagnosis for the purpose of billing insurance/understanding your symptoms. I am in no way, shape, or form labeling you! I hope that if a diagnosis is discussed it is to give you relief and understanding on why you might act a certain way. Therefore, allowing us to work towards healing from our past and storming our future with purpose. In my professional experience, I have made a niche for myself. This does not mean I will not work with anyone who is dealing with anything. However, I have more experience working with those involved in the military and first responders. I also specialize in couples and family including those with a history of or currently involved in Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). Along with trauma, geriatrics, and parenting issues. If any of these area's embrace what you are going through then let's talk... and if not, do not worry, you can still contact me, and I will try to help you find a provider if I am not a good fit for you after we speak about what you are dealing with. After all, we need to have the right therapist for us in order for therapy to actually work and I am totally ok with clients firing me if we are not the right fit 😀. My way of presentation in the therapy room is warm, caring and direct. I have always said to my clients... "I figure you are not here to have your time wasted or want to waste mine" and by that, I mean "why beat around the bush about an issue if we can hit it head on and work through it". This works for some people and not for others which is why I am being upfront about it. As therapist's, we are all different and some prefer the gentler touch while others want the direct approach. It is up to you and your partner/family to decide if I might be a good fit for you all. On a personal note (so you can get to know me better), I am a military brat/family member, country girl, and animal lover (the bigger the better - I have 450 lbs. of dogs in my house currently). I hope we get to chat and if I sound like a good fit to you after we connect on the phone that we get to work together to overcome whatever hurdles you are currently facing in life! You do not have to be alone!