I am an LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) licensed in Mississippi and Idaho with over 10 years of experience working with clients with a wide range of concerns including depression, anxiety, PTSD, C-PTSD, DID, relationship issues, sexuality issues, LGBTQ+, gender dysphoria, non-traditional relationships/families, bipolar, schizophrenia, and personality disorders. I have also helped many people with change of life or stage of life issues such as aging, grief and loss, job or family stress, and especially individuals living with a chronic illness or just diagnosed with a medical concern who might need motivation to make and maintain lifestyle changes for their health. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion, and I want to help you be your authentic self and live your life fully. My approach to therapy will be tailored to meet your unique and specific needs. I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychoanalytic, Person-Centered, Existential, and Behavioral approaches, whichever seems to be the best fit for your needs and personality. My motto is, “You will make an excuse, or you will make it happen.” I believe in empowering the individual, and helping you live your life authentically and fully. In my life, I aim to THRIVE, not just SURVIVE, and that is my hope for you as well! If you are ready to take that step, I am here to support and empower you. Important! Occasionally I have a difficult time speaking, and in order to give my voice a rest, I will set my preferences to live chat and messaging only. A little about me, I have had many surgeries to my mouth and sinus area for cancer, and attempts at reconstruction have failed. Sometimes speaking is very difficult for me and I need to rest my voice. So, occasionally I will need to turn off the availability to do phone or video sessions. I do think that it is best to do it that way so I can see you and pick up on tone of voice and body language, and I like to put a face to the name of who I’m talking to. But this is an accommodation I must make sometimes for my health. I hope you understand. I want you to know this about me up front because if you are not comfortable with chat sessions and only want video or phone all the time, you might want to choose another therapist to work with. I’m not saying that I never do video or phone, but due to my needs, I prefer chat. I make 30 minute sessions, and I prefer clients who are wanting work to do between our sessions, because I believe that in order to make a change for the better, you have to be ACTIVELY doing things to make a change. If you are only focusing on your mental health during the scheduled session and not doing any work between times, then I might not be the best fit for you. I understand if occasionally you do just need to vent or have someone listen and understand you, but I want you doing work between sessions, and that’s how progress will be made. There is the message feature, and we can talk back and forth using it as often as we need to, and there are handouts and worksheets I can assign you, you can attend groupinars, and occasionally I might have recommendations for a book you can buy and read that will help. The bulk of the work we do together will be in that way, and the scheduled appointment times are our time to catch up and chat in live time for a bit. We cannot change other people, we can only change ourselves. So if you are ready to do some work on YOU, I’m ready to help. I look forward to working with you!