I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor providing individual and couples therapy.

Education

Ed.S Professional Counseling, Georgia State University
M.S. Professional Counseling, Georgia State University
B.A. Psychology, University of Texas at Dallas
B.A. Political Science, University of Central Florida

License & Certifications

Licensed Professional Counselor
Nationally Certified Counselor

Professional Memberships

American Counseling Association
National Career Development Association
Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia
National Board of Certified Counselors

What happens in a therapy session?

Therapy can help you cope with all of life’s challenges, whether it’s stress from your personal life or stress at work. Counseling also can help you learn skills to cope with long-standing difficult emotions such as anger, anxiety or depression. Many people go to counseling to pursue personal growth. Therapy is right for anyone ready to make changes to improve their life.

You will fill out paperwork and then you’ll sit down with me in private to identify the problem, agree on a plan of action and then start working toward a solution. Difficult feelings may come up, but you don’t have to talk about anything until you’re ready. There are no tricks to get you to reveal information you aren’t ready to disclose. Therapy is centered on you and your goals.

You may be asked to do homework such as reading a book, journaling or keeping records to track certain behaviors. Between sessions it is important think about what has been discussed and to try to use your new skills.

For therapy to be most effective you must be an active participant, both during and between the sessions.
Counselors take notes and maintain records necessary for providing professional services and as required by law and the ethics of the profession.

How often do I have to come back?

It is common to schedule a series of weekly sessions, where each session lasts 50 minutes. Sometimes people going through a rough time schedule more than one session per week. Therapy can be short-term to resolve  a specific issue or  long-term for complex issues or ongoing personal growth.

What benefits can I expect from working with a therapist?

Therapy can provide insight into life’s challenges and can help you find new solutions to difficult problems. Many people find that working with a therapist can enhance personal development, improve relationships and family dynamics, and can ease the challenges of daily life.

Some of the benefits available from therapy include:

• Developing coping skills for difficult emotions like stress, anxiety and depression
• Learning to manage anger and other uncomfortable moods
• Modifying unhealthy behaviors
• Gaining insight into why you think, feel and behave the way you do
• Mastering the stages of change and learning new ways to solve problems
• Improving listening and communication skills
• A better quality of life

Is therapy confidential?

In general, the law protects the confidentiality of all communications between a client and a psychotherapist. Information is not disclosed without written permission, called a Release of Information, or ROI. However, there are exceptions to this rule:

• Suspected child abuse or elder abuse. Georgia law requires counselors to report abuse to the appropriate authorities immediately.
• If a client is threatening to harm themself or others. The therapist must notify the police and must tell any intended victim.