It is a pleasure to meet you and have the opportunity to work with you. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 9 years of experience providing therapy services in a Clinical setting, and cumulatively, 24 years in mental health services.
I am currently employed in a Community Mental Health Center in Central Montana, providing services to
a diverse population of clients ages 18-90 seeking assistance for their mental health and well-being. My client caseload is comprised of Military Veterans, people needing extra support cop8ng with common mental health issues, the severely mentally ill and disabled, and court mandated clients. I treat Indiduals and families affected by depression, anxiety, PTSD, victims of many types of abuse/trauma, complex grief and loss, anger management, and interpersonal relationship challenges related to hone, family, and work life.
I have a passion for helping others and my experience encompasses a wide range of therapeutic settings providing Individual, Group, and Family Therapy services to clients.
Experience: 5 years in a rural Montana County Mental Health Center,
2 years in Medical Social Work providing Therapeutic Support Services to patients, diagnosed with Stage 4/5 Chronic Kidney Failure,
16 years in an inpatient Residential Treatment Center for Emotionally Disturbed youth ages 8-18,
3 years in Department of Justice Correctional facility to Adolescent Girls 1 year in Child Protective Services, and
4 years providing services/case management to a partial and intensive outpatient day treatment programs in an alternative school.
A Montana native, I have lived in Montana most of my life and come from a farming and ranching background. I was raised in a hard working, law abiding family with strong values and beliefs. I earned my undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from Montana State University in Billings, Montana; and taught in small communities for 7 years. I returned to Graduate school in 2013. Graduated with Honors in 2015 with aMasters degree in Social Work from Walla Walla University Billings Satellite campus. I completed licensure requirements and have held a professional license for Licensed Clinical Social Work for 9 years.
My approach to therapy is client centered: clients are the experts on their lives and are the key instruments of integrating change into their lives. Working in collaboration with my clients to determine the direction and depth of therapy. Through a strengths-based and Motivational Interviewing perspective, I draw on multiple treatment modalities to guide clients in identifying strengths and developing treatment goals that help build confidence and empower them to accomplish their goals. I utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), to assist clients in exploring relationships among thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to aid in discovering dysfunctional thought patterns leading to self-destructive behaviors and beliefs. Utilization of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), I support clients through development of mood regulation skills that include: mindfulness, positive coping skills, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and modulating emotional regulation. Action and Commitment Therapy (ACT) utilizing client strengths, acceptance and mindfulness strategies to increase psychological flexibility in inducing behavioral change. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) offering effective tools for processing past trauma experiences that impact interpersonal relationships and day to day functioning. My goal is to assist clients towards a life where they feel more joy and freedom from mental health symptoms and the ability to cope more effectively with the stressors of life .
Outside of my work as a therapist, I have many varied hobbies and interests. I enjoy the great Montana outdoors engaging in hiking, fishing, camping, exploring historical sites, rock-hounding, and gardening. I am an avid artist and enjoy expressing my creativity in many ways: drawing, painting, crocheting, and crafts. I also enjoy merging creativity with my therapy pursuits.
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SPECIALTIES
•Management of Stress, Anxiety
• Depression
• PTSD-military and diverse trauma events
• Self-Esteem, Confidence, Empowerment
• Coping with Terminal Medical Illness and End of Life:Individual & Family
• Coping and Adjustment to adverse life events
Additional experience:
Trauma and abuse, Domestic violence, Interpretation Challenges: Relationship issues related to marriage & family, Intimacy, Parent/Child relationships Anger management , Career difficulties , Sleep Difficulty, Bipolar disorder , ADHD, Schizophrenia
Years of Clinical Licensed Experience: 9
Years of Mental Health Experience: 24
Additional areas of focus: Relationship issues, Family conflicts, Grief, Intimacy-related issues, Sleeping disorders, Parenting issues, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Coping with life changes, Compassion fatigue, Aging and geriatric issues, Body image, Caregiver issues and stress, Chronic pain, illness, and disability, Co-morbidity, Codependency, Communication problems, Control issues, Emptiness, Family problems, Forgiveness, Guilt and shame, Isolation / loneliness, Life purpose, Midlife crisis, Veteran and Armed Forces Issues, Mood disorders, Postpartum depression, Post-traumatic stress, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self-harm, Self-love, Social anxiety and phobia, Women's issues
Clinical approaches: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Focused Therapy
MT LCSW BBH-LCSW-LIC-31489
WY LCSW LCSW-1068