Authentic Therapy for Adolescents and Adults

I utilize a harm reduction approach, that finds the grey area in a society that wants to view recovery as black and white. Methods I use vary by client and only support complete abstinence if this is the client’s goal. You define your bottom line, I will help to support it.

Talking about substance use can feel very threatening. We often don’t want to feel judged while simultaneously desiring someone else to know, to feel any sense of relief from the darkness. I’ve been there. Whatever you are doing, whatever you have done, I hold no judgment. You define your recovery. I am here to help you obtain whatever that means to you. The shame, the embarrassment, the defeat, we can let that all into the room and be with it. Ultimately, we can work to develop strategies to help you maintain the level of recovery you are comfortable with. That doesn’t always mean it’s perfect that first time. We all stumble, and that’s okay.

In my experience substance use is a symptom of a greater cause, one that almost always comes from adverse childhood events, trauma, and grief. Our work is to peel away the layers to see what is underneath the symptom and confront it together.

Everyone experiences adverse health events at some point in their life. Many of us will feel confused and unsupported in our diagnosis. We are a good fit in your health journey if you identify with any of the following:

• Have a new medical diagnosis that is emotionally overwhelming you and causing undue anxiety
• Are experiencing discord with loved ones due to a medical condition, chronic illness, or chronic pain
• Feel like you need more support around your diagnosis from an unbiased source
• Have a chronic diagnosis that is considered incurable such as Parkinson, MS, Lyme disease, etc.
• Are experiencing depression and hopelessness in the face of your diagnosis
• Feel unheard by your medical providers
• Want to accept where you are right now and learn to live given your diagnosis

Living with any type of chronic illness is exhausting. Those of us who live with invisible illness’ have a lived experience that has often been highly invalidating. As a means of survival, we begin to create coping mechanisms that may not be fully serving us. We are left feeling uncertain and unsupported. It is extremely difficult to live every day fighting for treatment, convincing doctors that our symptoms are real, and defending our lifestyles to our loved ones. Developing alternate communication patterns, finding new types of resourcing, and creating collaborative care can help to brighten the path forward. I am here as your advocate. I work to dismantle ableist societal expectations of how the human body ‘should’ show up in this world.

We, unfortunately, live in a world where invisible illnesses leave us without care; I want to help you change that. In addition to our regular sessions, for clients utilizing controlled substances or methods that are difficult to access, I am available as a resource to communicate with your providers as necessary (and only if requested). Everyone deserves relief from pain and discomfort.

Chronic illness sucks, and there often is no amount of “positive outlook” that will make things better. I am here to sit with you in the reality of your symptoms, and together find a path that suits you.

We work to live, we do not live to work. This often gets lost in high-responsibility positions like frontline responders and healthcare workers. When you are dealing with human life it becomes human nature to put in everything you have.

I offer a unique counseling experience for healthcare workers and emergency responders in that I have directly worked in hospital and outpatient settings. As a Registered Nurse, I worked in MedSurg, Oncology, Neuro/Ortho Trauma, Neuro/ortho surgical, Neuro ICU, and traumatic brain injury rehabilitation.

I am a counselor who has directly experienced what it means to be a healthcare worker, to be drained mentally, physically, and empathetically. I understand what it takes to provide that level of care to others, while also holding multiple other roles in life. Often, we find ourselves in burnout without knowing where to go. Healthcare environments do not adequately recognize PTSD and chronic stress in their workers. I am here to help you value your career while also valuing yourself. To set boundaries, to create coping mechanisms, and to find balance between your job, yourself, and your family. You matter just as much as your patients.

I work with late stage adolescents (16+) who are dealing with depression, anxiety, life changes, eating disorder, trauma, and crisis. The world we live in seems to be continuously getting harder to show up in, and many adolescents need support from a safe place; somewhere to confide these complex feelings. 

Additionally, I specialize in substance abuse, treatment, and recovery. Substance abuse can stem from many places, but we commonly see it come out of trauma, grief, depression, and adverse life events. In adolescence, this is compounded by developmental milestones and societal expectations. I see substance use as a symptom. Our work together is finding the cause. This typically comes with peeling away layers, looking at the past, and unearthing patterns and beliefs that came out of childhood.

Having a child dealing with substance abuse is scary, especially when they won’t talk to you. This typically gets worse before it gets better. My work is in creating a safe space for your child to talk about what is going on, look at where the behaviors stem from, and help make a plan for change.

At this time therapy appointments will take place online using a free, secure, HIPAA-compliant videoconferencing platform. Phone appointments may be utilized if necessary. Clients must be located in the state of North Carolina to receive counseling services.