Pediatric, Teen, Health, and Substance Abuse Therapist
“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the game” – Randy Pausch. If there is one quote that can sum up my personal philosophy and therapeutic approach, this would be it. Throughout our lives, we may encounter many obstacles, such as the loss of a loved one, receiving a diagnosis of a chronic illness, struggling with substance abuse, or experiencing a great deal of worry and fear. It can also be very difficult as a parent to watch your child struggle with fear, sadness, or uncertainty. We cannot avoid these obstacles, but we can control how we respond and cope in these situations.
Therapy provides you or your child with the support and tools needed to navigate these challenges and continue to live your life in a meaningful way. I approach therapy in a collaborative manner to ensure your needs are met. I provide a safe and non-judgmental environment allowing you to share your most difficult thoughts and feelings. I believe in helping my clients-whether individual, couple, or family- identify their strengths, so they can implement them in their everyday life. I, like all therapists here at AMANI, also believe in challenging you to try new skills and ways of approaching the difficulties you face.
I love working with kids and families. Children bring an active, energetic, and creative nature to sessions. I love helping parents identify their children’s strengths and train parents in cultivating these qualities to build an open and honest relationship with one another. I enjoy seeing children and parents build confidence in their ability to learn and apply new skills resulting in a peaceful home environment. I love seeing the progress children and families make through the use of exposures (which means supported and intentional facing of the things that are feared and are avoided).
I enjoy the field of health psychology because it is rewarding to help people holistically improve their quality of life, as both physical and mental health are considered. It is rewarding to help individuals learn tools to cope with chronic pain or other chronic health disorders by addressing the underlying emotional and behavioral factors that can impact one’s mental and physical health. My dissertation title is The Relationship Between Exercise Self-Efficacy, Fear-Avoidance Beliefs, and Exercise in Individuals with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).
I adapt my therapeutic interventions based to my client’s needs. I utilize evidence-based modalities to ensure positive outcomes. Such modalities include Exposure Response Prevention Therapy (ERP; for fears, phobias, obsessions, and compulsions), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapies (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, and Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). Like all therapists at AMANI, if I’m working with a child, I am also providing parents with Parent Management Training and support and use a hefty amount of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy as well.
Dissertation Title: The Relationship Between Exercise Self-Efficacy, Fear-Avoidance Beliefs, and Exercise in Individuals with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
At AMANI Clinical Services, we believe in an active (evidence-based) treatment approach tailored to your unique needs. We help you find solutions and see results that make meaningful difference in your life. Whether you need us to “work ourselves out of a job” or serve as your primary mental health provider (just like you see a primary care physician for your medical needs throughout the lifespan), we want you to get better and feel better. We are results oriented. We will work collaboratively to help you recognize the ways your life experiences have shaped your attitudes, beliefs, and choices. You’ll understand how your symptoms developed and how you can take control of them, and leave session with a plan to try some new ways of thinking and acting.