Therapists in North Hampton, Saint Louis, MO

Life moves so quickly! We seldom take time to pause, reflect, and observe the beauty in and around us. Instead, we tend to ruminate about the past or obsess about the future, robbing us of present moment awareness. Therapeutic space provides the unique opportunity to remedy this —if we can simply be present, we learn to work meaningfully with the thoughts and emotions which arise, and we find direction and new possibilities. My hope is to be a source of safety, insight, and clarification as we help you find your way.

I have extensive experience and training in providing anxiety disorder treatment and specialize in treating OCD. My treatment approach combines elements of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. I use Exposure and Response Prevention, the gold standard treatment for OCD. OCD can present in many different ways, and unfortunately many people suffer for years without receiving appropriate diagnosis and treatment. If you are ready to take action on gaining back control of your life from anxiety, I can help.

Since the pandemic, anxiety and depression has reached us on a global scale and everyone is in need of a connection to reduce their pain. Being aware of the mind-body-spirit connections, I guide my clients on reaching their goals as well as meeting them where they are without judgement. The majority of my clients seem to want the similar things: peace, balance, and acceptance.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor 20 years of experience working both as a therapist and doing community-based crisis intervention. I enjoy helping clients to maximize their potential by focusing upon their strengths and past successes. I believe that therapy is a cooperative endeavor that should assist the client in discovering his/her/their own abilities and coping strategies. I relish the opportunity to support clients through trying situations and to help them to process grief. I have spoken at conferences on HIV/AIDS, work with LGBTQIA clients, and other topics. I served on the HIV service funding Planning Council.

I know what it’s like to feel helpless, alone, frustrated, confused, unseen, unheard, and unsupported. Also, I know that it’s possible to transform these experiences into something deeply meaningful. The path to this transformation involves time and intention, and the courage to look deeply at oneself. As we learn to understand and relinquish old patterns, new ways of being give forth new hope and possibility. And not just for ourselves, but for everyone around us. What a wondrous experience!

All of us are both works of art and works in progress, yet most of us don't see ourselves as such - we know parts we'd swap or improve, but precious few of us can say enough about what we'd keep and love. Therapy encourages us to look at the whole self, which leads to a much more complete sense of who we really are. Our false dichotomies and mutual exclusivities break down and we discover that the stuff we don't like and the stuff we do not only belongs, but can even produce a certain sense of harmony. You are not incomplete, broken, or lacking, but wonderfully unique and complex. You are enough, and you always have been.

In a world riddled with sadness and struggle, I strive to provide a safe haven for my clients to find support and hope, recognizing that all too often these vital components for living just can't be found anywhere else. My hope is to be source of grounding as you face your struggle, and ultimately, yourself. Counseling can be a transformative and life-changing experience if we are brave enough to engage it with earnestness and sincerity. I'll be with you along the way.

Like you, my clients worry a lot about their health. Unexplained symptoms lead to days of spiraling, looking things up on the internet, and asking loved ones to tell you you’re okay. You’re having trouble sleeping because you can’t turn your mind off. The fear of having a health condition that you could have prevented if you’d just been more proactive is unbearable. When you’re feeling out of control, having a sense of direction and someone to walk beside you can be comforting. You can bring your authentic self to sessions with me. I strive to create an open, non-judgmental, and inclusive environment for everyone in my office.

Throughout our lives, many of us adopt narratives that don’t align with our actual experiences — they may leave out important details about our families or our make-up, the ways we were hurt, or the ways in which we have succeeded. But in all cases, they don’t do justice to the depth of our experiences, and in fact, when we have been abused or mistreated, the very purpose of these false narratives may be to obscure the truth of who we are and what we’ve been through. My greatest hope is that our work together will allow you to come home to yourself as you learn to tell stories that honor the core of who you are.

For many of us, childhood was mentally and emotionally confusing. And we may find that these experiences impact us even now — they season how we relate to others, how we interact with our worlds, and even how we conceive of our future. Making sense of all of this requires a respect for very human needs like safety, stability, and positive and corrective emotional experiences. Therapy is often the single most helpful and effective intervention to those ends—it certainly has been healing for me. I hold a deep respect and honor for those who are able to show up to do this work.

It’s so common to find ourselves feeling overwhelmed, self-critical, anxious, or lonely. When we do, it’s all the more common to want to avoid looking at what’s transpiring for us out of fear for what we might find. However, not looking tends to mean that we’re bound to misunderstand our experiences, and over time, adding more layers of distress, disconnection, and dissatisfaction — we are suffering and by refusing to look at our suffering, we suffer more. I can help! Together, we’ll create an honest, non-judgmental space in which you can begin to look inward, to listen to the deep strength and internal wisdom you already posses.

It is never too late to begin deep and meaningful work reimagining how traumas or other experiences can become integrated, meaningful parts of our lives and ourselves, rather than barriers or obstacles. The key to this important work is the recognition that your story and has deep and significant meaning.  No detail is ultimately insignificant, if we can but muster the courage, patience, and presence required.  I will help you!  I am so eager to understand and explore with you, and help create a safe space that ultimately facilitates not just growth and transition, but true healing and transformation.

Each day brings new challenges. Some involve our families or our jobs or our relationships, but all involve our minds. Healing begins with the recognition that these battles are not obstacles, but doorways, to a better life — opportunities to develop ourselves in ways we couldn’t previously imagine. You possess the capacity for greatness. You have a purpose! Awareness and the vulnerability to trust another human are keys to unlocking your potential in these ways. Therapy provides an outlet to experience yourself as such, and to work toward the harmony and inner peace you’ve longed for.

Being human is difficult! Committing to counseling provides viable options to the struggles you face. As you grow in your understanding of yourself and your world, you will begin to find that you have more choices than you thought possible — real alternatives to being defeated, becoming numb, or simply being trapped in knee-jerk patterns and reactions. Growth in this way does require trust and vulnerability, but not just from you — from both of us! My deepest hope is to be a compassionate collaborator and a source of safety and insight as you make small steps towards big change.

My clients are very diverse in age, ethnicity, social economic status, and gender/sexual identity. I would like to be culturally humble and honor your background and identity.

Do you wonder, sometimes lying on the bed at the mid hour of night, that life could be different: maybe lighter, with a little bit more hope; and your pounding heart can slow down and feel some peace; when you look out, you can smile and sense trust? Is there part of you that want to embark on a journey of healing and growth, to build nourishing relationships with your own self, with others, and with the life at large, to lay the foundation for a life of meaning and joy?

Using evidence-based techniques, I will help you look for patterns in your thinking or actions that may be causing problems, often rooted in trauma. I will help you establish healthier relationships, develop better coping skills, set boundaries and aid your ability to connect to your body & emotions while learning to regulate them effectively. Using a warm, genuine and goal-focused approach, you can be assured that whatever issue you have come to therapy to address, I will work to gently, but firmly encourage you to help resolve it. I emphasize praise and rewards for achievements, relying on your strengths as motivators for change.

It's plain to see that world bombards us with ample reason to live in fear, doubt, and negativity. Yet, we all possess the ability to change, and to make good on the hope toward a rich, full, and confident life. We can't erase our pasts, but we can work together in the present to find new ways of thinking and being that produce the lives we want.

My areas of specialization are in OCD and social anxiety, focusing primarily on school-aged children and adolescents. For the past seven years I have worked exclusively in an OCD and Anxiety treatment center, developing my skills to be an expert in this area. I provide evidence-based therapy, which includes mostly Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Exposure and Response Prevention, the gold-standard treatment for OCD. I am also LGBTQ+ affirming. If your child is suffering from anxiety or OCD, and you think they would benefit from learning concrete strategies and skills to function better at school, home, or socially, I’m here to help.