Slow it down. Keep it simple. Catch your breath… and then go CRUSH IT! The complexities of life can sometimes leave us feeling overwhelmed, anxious, confused, & discouraged. For many of us, especially young folks, the idea of therapy can often seem intimidating. Feelings of guilt, shame, embarrassment, insecurity, or inadequacy interfere with our ability to reach our best. Therapy should not be perceived as a some hurdle to overcome, but rather as an avenue toward agency and evolution. We live in a society where there is a trend toward clinicians’ need to pathologize every aspect of our being. I assure you, most of us require little more than a little recalibration. As an LCSW with more than a decade of experience working with adolescents and young-adults, as both a counselor & coach, I aim to help you discover your greatest potential… or to at least help you begin your journey toward that goal. The fact that you’re here means you possess the greatest qualities of all necessary to discover a stronger, healthier, happier you… Effort & Accountability. Take pride in that aspect of your character as you consider the work required to reach the next level. A brief About Me: … I love my motorcycle. My Jeep (w the doors off). Exercise. Fishing. The beach. Hiking. Snowboarding. Long conversations over a good cup of coffee. History. Philosophy. Coaching (14 yrs of coaching middle/high school girls’ basketball). and Ballroom dance. My greatest achievements are not my degrees nor my clinical licensure, but rather that of having earned the respect of the colleagues I worked with while working construction and being invited into the lives of the hundreds of young people I’ve worked with throughout my career… those, in both worlds, who’ve been much less fortunate than myself given the nature of their circumstance. I am not impressed by status nor accolades, but rather by the quality of one’s character, especially those who choose kindness regardless of their struggles. Core Values of Counseling: … Honest acknowledgement of the “issue”… Total ownership of those elements within one’s role and contribution to the “issue” (Accountability, even if others are to blame)… Goal setting (what do you ultimately desire?)… a willingness to take action (step outside your comfort zone to make change or sacrifice)… and an understanding that setbacks are a key component of the process as we recalibrate toward success. The Essentials: … Honesty, Accountability, Vulnerability, Reflection, Sacrifice, and a willingness to engage in the actions required for Change.