I think it is one thing to have an experience, positive or negative. I think it is another thing entirely to identify the meaning behind that experience. Our values, worldviews, and culture shape the way that we understand the people and events around us. At times, they can be fantastic vehicles for driving the meaning-making process in our lives. At others, they can feel like limitations and make us question the foundations we thought could never break. It is my sincere belief that it is in the “asking” that we are truly able to determine the things that are meaningful to us.
I am passionate about working with adults that experience mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. You shouldn’t have to wonder why you may sometimes feel incapable of motivating yourself to do the things you usually want to do or be frustrated because you get lost in a spiral of thoughts and worries you can’t seem to free yourself from.
I want to work with you to discover the things that are negatively impacting your ability to live in a way that brings you joy and growth. I also would love to collaborate with you in developing healthy coping mechanisms and responses to these negative impacts so that you can embody the healing and resilience you deserve to have. Therapy should be a space where you feel listened to, understood, and validated, in moments of difficulty and of victory. You are allowed to be hurt, just as much as you are allowed to be happy.
As a strong advocate for social justice, I think it is integral for cultural sensitivity, identity affirmation, and awareness of injustice to be present in the therapeutic environment. Historically, people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and other marginalized demographics have experienced additional adversity both outside and within the clinical setting due to their identities. I want to directly acknowledge this and provide a space where stress and trauma related to these experiences can also be safely explored. It can be challenging to discover what it means to be of a certain identity, what it means to feel happy or sad, or even what it means to be you. I want to be here for you to help you work through the difficult questions and to determine what those answers are.
“Self-discovery is a lifetime adventure.”
— Sean-Michael Green
I received my Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Roosevelt University and am currently licensed in Illinois as a Licensed Professional Counselor. The most meaningful things in life for me are loved ones, gaming, philosophy, political discourse, and music. I’m in love with not only listening to music but creating it as well, as it helps me ask myself the “questions” concerning what matters most to me.
Philosophy has also played a significant role in both breaking and building my understanding of the human experience. I think that the mindfulness, questions, and challenges that philosophy can bring to therapy are invaluable parts of the journey, but you don’t have to be as into it as I am, of course!
