Therapists in Kalamazoo, MI

Do you feel as if your life is unmanageable? Are you struggling to manage your life as is? It’s no secret that life doesn’t fight fair. At times, it can seem that nothing goes the way we really want it to, no matter how well we plan. Fortunately, we were built to adapt and recover quickly. It is our own resilience that dictates what happens next and not life’s quirkiness or unpredictability. I collaborate with adults 18 and older to successfully manage life using healthy responses and sustainable coping skills. I have assisted individuals with addictions, complex-trauma, and personality disorders for 5+ years.

As an integrative therapist, I’m here to help you feel whole again. If you struggle with trauma or other experiences that are difficult to let go of, I’m here to help you reconnect all your parts and come together as a whole person. Through our treatment together, you’ll be able to recognize the resiliency within you that is needed to take on life’s challenges and heal from those challenges you have already faced. All your parts will be welcomed with open arms and nonjudgement, understanding that the experiences you have had have led you to where you are today. I know that you are doing the best you can and want to do better.

I completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Cognitive Therapy at the University of Pennsylvania under the supervision of Aaron Beck, M.D. in 1983. I am a Founding Fellow of the Academy for Cognitive Therapy. My primary interest and expertise is in helping people identify and break free from the negative life patterns that underlie long-standing depression, anxiety, and painful relationships. My style is systematic, focused, collaborative and flexible. I see my first task as creating a safe and stable foundation from which clients can begin to meet their core emotional needs and grow.

Do you have or suspect you have ADHD? Has social media, yes TikTok/instagram, lead you to suspect you may have ADHD but don't know where to start. I'm passionate about helping you understand ADHD, how it affects YOU and what you can do with it. ADHD is widely misunderstood as a lack of focus or attention. ADHD is more accurately an issue of regulation which includes emotions, impulsivity, money, attention, sensory sensitivity etc. I work with clients on managing the symptoms of ADHD, the shame, guilt, anxiety and depression that stem from having ADHD in our society. Let's work together to create an environment that suits your brain.

I believe that clients have within themselves an amazing ability to self-heal, and the role of the counselor is to find and tap into that ability. I also believe it is important to learn about each client's world and to develop a relationship where clients can feel understood and supported while learning about themselves. This creates the space for exploring the choices they have and any changes they may want to make toward more personal fulfillment. Therapy for children may involve consultation with parents who need support meeting their child's challenges. Play therapy is used with children.

I approach each session with a nonjudgmental, empathetic, and listening ear. Through my work, I invite you to explore outside your comfort zone to realize the abundance of possibilities that may exist for you. Because all relationships go through ups and down, I will offer support to examine how you can focus on personal development while, also introducing techniques that will improve your relationships with yourself and others. I feel it is important to meet people where they are at but still encourage goal setting. When working with clients, I look at how past experiences, including trauma, affect their current experiences.

Asking for help can be difficult. At Acacia, we understand that entering therapy can be a big step and how important it is that you feel respected, seen and heard. Our experience includes helping children, adolescents, adults, and families navigate difficult times in their lives. We work to help them feel empowered to make changes in their relationships, careers, or personal goals. Together, we will develop a treatment strategy that focuses on the issues and changes that you identify and are ready to address.

For 20 years, I have been helping clients build upon strengths and face challenges to achieve their goals of therapy. As a licensed professional counselor I utilize the evidence based therapeutic approach of Cognitive Behavior Therapy as a basis for reducing suffering and achieving specific goals. Mindfulness and other coping techniques are incorporated to help address emotional suffering and to help tolerate environmental stressors to create a more balanced, tolerable life.

I have found that everyone struggles in one way or another at some time in their lives. It is how we grow and adapt to those struggles that define who we are and how we live the rest of our lives. I have partnered with clients in order to assist them with turning these struggles into times of learning, growing and healing.

In a relationship with a partner that leaves you exasperated or in despair? Feeling that parts of yourself won't let you move on and experience the life you want? I specialize in attachment---the way we connect with those most important to us. I will meet you where you are. I'll work hard to understand what you are experiencing and help you find what you are looking for in your connection to those most important to you.

You are unique in all the world! There is no one just like you with your story or life. Your family, pets, friends, community--where you came from--what you have overcome and endured-all these make you the unique person you are. At some time you may wish to turn the page on your story. My therapy involves walking with you while you decide where you want to go from here--who the person is that you want to be--how you want your life and story to change. I will listen and challenge, support and invite you to learn new skills and growth.

As a client-centered therapist, I work to build a relationship with each client based on compassion, understanding, and non-judgment. In building that relationship, I hope to better understand the areas of your life that you are proud of and the areas in which you feel stuck. It is my belief that in healing past pain you can unburden the parts of you that have lived that pain, and begin to be your most authentic self.

Trauma is defined differently by everyone and NO ONE understands what you are going through like you do. As a therapist trained in EMDR I can use my knowledge to help you process life experiences and provide realistic tools to manage reactions caused by trauma. I have previous work experience in healthcare and I enjoy working with teenagers, adults, and couples. My training and work experience include individuals with histories of complex trauma, personality disorders, trauma affiliated with a religion, addiction(s), grief, sexual health, and medical trauma.

Our counseling exists to serve individuals and couples through professional counseling. Our counseling goal is to impact lives on a spiritual, emotional, and mental level. Counseling also involves the sharing of personal problems, concerns, and stories with a professional who is skilled at helping the client or clients come to a resolution or solution about their particular situation. The general goals for the client are that he or she can identify the issue(s), develop a plan of action, and then implement that plan to move forward and progress in spite of their spiritual, emotional and/or mental setbacks.

"One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious" - C.G. Jung Over the past eight years while in private practice, I have been privileged to work with individuals and families with a vast array of concerns and suffering.

Mandala Counseling and Consulting PLC offers something different from the "treatment as usual" therapies. We help you target and understand problems that get in your way. We give you concrete, usable, effective tools to use in the everyday. And we don't just focus on problems. We help you move toward a greater sense of wellbeing, empowerment and joy. Approaches used are backed by research and are evidenced based. You CAN make tangible changes in life without spending years of therapy. If you struggle with balance or the "normal hard problems of life" to severe emotional dysregulation, we can help.

I provide individual psychotherapy to clients who are experiencing distress in their lives. This includes children, adolescents, adults, and families struggling with issues such as depression, anxiety, mood disorders, life changes, and a wide range of psychosocial stressors. I am a graduate of University of Central Florida, Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, a top ten program in the nation. I have experience working in private practice and residential facilities treating severe and persistent mental illnesses. We will work together in defining your goals and figuring out how to approach obstacles you may be facing.

Asking for help can be difficult. I understand that entering therapy can be a big step and how important it is that you feel respected , seen and heard. My experience includes helping children, adolescents, adults, and families navigate difficult times in their lives and to feel empowered making changes in their relationships, careers or personal goals. Together, we will develop a treatment strategy that focuses on the issues and changes that you identify and are ready to address.

Choosing a therapist is a very personal decision. To me, therapy becomes a place where two people come together to embark on a journey of personal discovery and growth. I believe healing and transformation occur in the context of a shared therapeutic experience - of a "you and me" - through your experiences and my expertise, we will chart new pathways to fulfilled living and relating. From finding relief and feeling better to gaining insight and developing oneself, you will not be alone. It takes courage to reach out; I am here to help you make that connection.