Child, Teen, Family and Adult Therapist
"The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction not a destination." -Carl Rogers
Whether you (or your child) have suddenly faced an unexpected challenge, transition, or loss, or you (or your child) feel like it's been a long road of painful events, my primary interest is in helping people and families develop a clearer sense of meaning, purpose, and direction in their lives. We'll work together to identify the source of the pain, patterns, and symptoms and use evidence-based approaches to get everyone feeling better. I focus on understanding how patterns in relationships, identity, and past experiences shape the way someone engages with the world in the present.
I view change as something that unfolds through increased self-awareness, a strong therapeutic relationship, and a willingness to move toward what matters, even when it is difficult. I’m particularly drawn to working with individuals who are motivated to grow, including athletes and high-performing populations, but I have experience working with a wide range of readiness for change, concerns and backgrounds. I'll meet you where you are.
I began working with children, adolescents, and families over 20 years ago, starting at age 17, and have since worked with them in both athletic settings and emergency medical contexts. Across these environments, I’ve seen how young people and their families navigate moments of stress, transition, and high stakes, and how those experiences shape development in real time. These experiences have shown me how profoundly family systems influence a youth’s developing sense of self and where we can intervene to help everyone in the family get what they need. I am dedicated t supporting both the individual and the family in ways that foster not only symptom relief but a more coherent and intentional sense of identity.
I’m drawn to working with adolescents and families because adolescence is a period where navigating questions of identity, purpose, and belonging are the main act. It is a stage where individuals begin to actively construct meaning in their lives, often within complex family and relational contexts that both support and limit that process.
Like all therapists at AMANI, there be a lot of skills training to address the weak points in child, parent, and family functioning, particularly parental responses to child emotions, behaviors, struggles, and symptoms. We’ll collaborate and work as a team through your journey to feeling and functioning better.
I have completed my Master's Degree. I am in the final stages of my doctoral degree and am a Supervised Therapist with AMANI Clinical Services until the end of June 2027. Dr. Laura Daniels and Dr. Nikki Massey-Hastings are my primary and secondary supervisors.
Give me a call. Let's get everyone feeling better.
***At AMANI Clinical Services, all child and family therapists are trained extensively on Dr. Hastings’ Harmonizing Your Home Program and use it as the foundation for treatment. Harmonizing Your Home Program©2012 is a combination of several of the most effective transdiagnostic child/family treatments available into a unique program. It has been consistently successful at reducing damaging child behavior and symptomatology (anxiety symptoms, physical aggression, verbal aggression, compulsions, defiant and oppositional behavior, school refusal, tantrums, etc.) by 90 percent at the 2 week post-launch mark. The increase in safety creates a foundation to build healthier, more fulfilling family bonds. Positive family interactions effectively reduce symptoms. Progress made is resistant to relapse. Response to treatment is individualized and not guaranteed. Families with the best outcomes had motivated parents. We work with families every day who are experiencing real, lasting change and increasing peace-making and peace-keeping in their families. ***