I approach counseling as a team effort. It is of the upmost importance to show my clients that I listen to them, and that I am here to help them make the best decisions for themselves. However, I am also a strong advocate of the concept that the person seeking therapy is the expert on their own life. My role as a counselor is not to “fix” my clients, control their thoughts, or demand adherence to a rigid form of thinking labeled as ‘normal’. Instead of encouraging clients to hide or change the unique aspects of their personality, I work to make their unique qualities shine and bloom. This mindset also applies to my approach towards relationship-oriented counseling. I am not here to ‘fix’ any relationship, nor define exactly how they should operate. What I AM here to do is to give you communication skills, psychological understanding, and emotional intelligence that will empower you to competently navigate the unpredictable path of life.
My expertise is primarily in an area of psychological/counseling theory called Logotherapy, which is a form of existential therapy developed by neurologist and psychiatrist Viktor Frankl. Logotherapy is founded upon the belief that striving to find meaning in life is the primary, most powerful motivating and driving force in humans. I personally cannot tell any client what will bring meaning to their life, but by working through our own limiting thoughts and beliefs, I believe what inevitably emerges is a meaningful life. While Logotherapy is my area of expertise, I am also highly skilled in the application of several common modes of counseling, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral therapy, Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, and Person-Centered Therapy.
I have been working in the field of mental health for the last 5 years, starting in direct support positions working with individuals in residential behavioral treatment centers, and later on moved to clinical roles in private practice. My experience is with those populations suffering from anxiety, depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, and PTSD symptoms.
I have a Bachelor of Science in Human Communication Studies from Missouri State University, and a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lindenwood University. I am a Provisionally Licensed Professional Counselor under the supervision of LPC Amanda Reed.