I am licensed as a L.C.S.W. (Licensed Clinical Social Worker). This license allows me to do clinical work such as psychotherapy in the state of North Carolina. My Master’s Degree in Social Work had an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy. I have 30 years of professional work experience. In that time, I have worked with children, adolescents, couples, adult and the elderly. I have worked in in-patient settings, out-patient, residential treatment, Intensive Outpatient and private practice in the areas of both mental/behavioral health and alcohol/drug issues. My work has included both individuals and families, including stepfamilies. My training was primarily in the area of Family Systems, and those ideas are the basic underpinnings of my work. I try to meet my clients where they are at and where they feel comfortable as a starting point. Dependent upon the issues presented and your goals, I may or may not seek to delve into past family origin issues. In short, therapy can be solution focused and rooted in present day experiences and concerns. A lot of my work is guiding people to learn to change their thoughts and behaviors. I have had extensive training in the areas of treating Trauma, and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion work as both areas often impact people on a daily basis. Many people opt for ongoing therapy as a way to check in and hold themselves accountable for the changes they made as a result of therapy. But therapy does not have to be a long, drawn-out process of attendance in order to be effective. Sometimes a few sessions may be all that is needed to help someone regain a sense of confidence and problem resolution. I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage as it can be scary revealing information to a stranger. But you will never know how it may benefit you unless you try it. I hope the journey for you is one that brings enlightenment, strength and a renewed sense of yourself.