Therapeutic Approach
I feel truly honored to be able to the work that I do of walking along side people on their journey to personal growth and healing and find myself constantly humbled by the remarkable things that I witness people accomplish throughout the course of therapy. I use a variety of methods and techniques in my therapy work and believe in working collaboratively with my clients to create a therapeutic approach that best fits each unique person’s needs having the ultimate belief that you are the expert on you! I see my role as a therapist as a partner and guide in empowering each person I work with to feel more capable of approaching life’s challenges until they feel ready to continue the rest of their journey on their own. To name a few, some of the ways I assist clients on their journey are in gaining understanding into themselves, past experiences, and their relationships with others, identifying areas for growth, learning adaptive ways to cope, expressing feelings and emotions, building on existing strengths and resources, and working towards building a more connected relationship with self and others.
Consistently underlying my approach to therapy is the belief that establishing a strong therapeutic relationship between myself and my clients while creating a safe, affirming, and accepting environment is key to successful therapy and provides a setting for change to take place. I also believe that your whole self (e.g. culture, sexuality, gender, family of origin, etc.) and life experiences are important to understand and honor throughout our work together and I value being able to support people of diverse identities and backgrounds. I also value being genuine and authentic in my role as a therapist (while maintaining my professional role) and believe that we are all happiest when we are being genuinely ourselves.
Clinical Areas of Interest
I am trained as generalist and have approximately 10 years of experience working with clients who present with a wide variety of concerns (e.g. anxiety, depression, grief, career concerns, self-esteem, etc.). Despite identifying as a generalist, I have areas of specialized interest that I’m particularly passionate about including trauma recovery work, substance abuse, working with loved ones of those impacted by chemical dependency, negative body image and disordered eating concerns, relationship concerns, family of origin concerns, anxiety and mood disorders, and creativity and optimal performance. I have also completed the basic training for Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), a specialized treatment for trauma recovery. Finally, I have a passion for issues related to social justice and enjoy working with clients around identity concerns (e.g. sexual orientation, ability status, gender identity, gender expression, racial/ethnic identity, etc.).
Professional Biography
I am a Licensed Psychologist and Health Service Provider in the state of Iowa. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma. I went on to receive my Master of Science degree in Community Counseling from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas after which I decided to pursue a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Tennessee- Knoxville (APA accredited). I completed my doctoral internship at Iowa State University (ISU) Student Counseling Service’s (SCS) APA accredited program and I received my Doctorate degree in Counseling Psychology from University of Tennessee- Knoxville. After completion of my internship at ISU, I took an Alcohol & Other Drugs (AOD) Post-doctoral Fellow/AOD Counselor position at the University of Oregon’s University Counseling and Testing Center in Eugene, OR. I moved back to Iowa in 2016 after accepting a position as a staff psychologist at ISU. At ISU I held the role of practicum coordinator and provided individual and couples counseling, group counseling, crisis services, outreach services, training and supervision of doctoral-level practicum students, as well as being involved with several programs and committees related to issues of diversity and inclusion on campus. In early 2018, I feel lucky to have been able to join my wonderful colleagues at the Ames Psychological Wellness Center for full-time private practice work.
Personal Hobbies
I love listening to music, going to shows and concerts, unconsciously humming previously mentioned music (usually while completing tasks and occasionally to the annoyance of others), traveling, trying new restaurants, riding my bike, being outside, watching Netflix when I can’t be outside, making lists for this bio, using humor when I get tired of writing about myself, and spending time with family and friends.
3510 Lincoln Way, Suite 300, Ames, IA 50014 | Phone: (515) 292-9251 | Fax: (844) 895-6179 | info@ameswellnesscenter.com