Counseling Methods:
We begin by working together to set goals. Then we work together to meet those goals. The rest of the family is usually involved at some point to help maintain your teen’s changes.
I am a Christian, and if faith is important to you and your teen, we will approach therapy from a Christian perspective. If faith is not an element of therapy you wish to incorporate, that is completely fine as well. I see a lot of teens with a faith, and a lot without a faith (or of a different faith than me), but either way I never impose my values on my clients.
My Philosophy:
I want to help your adolescent feel better. My hope is for them to enjoy their life again. I want them to feel confident they can handle whatever situations arise. We work together on this goal. I try and include parents in certain parts of the counseling. In most cases I believe that parents should be involved in order for the teen to make lasting changes.
Why Teens Love Working With Me:
They feel comfortable. Because I am a younger therapist, teenagers know I can understand their experiences. This helps them to be more open. Teens often tell me they feel safe to be themselves around me, but still feel challenged to grow.
Why I Love Working With Teens:
We have fun! There are difficult parts of therapy, but we laugh too. Teenagers respond well to a place where they feel understood and can talk freely. I enjoy working with your teen to create that environment.
Experience:
I have been working with teens and their families for over a decade in various settings. This has ranged from kids just released from Juvenile Hall, to family sessions on an adolescent psychiatric ward, to the teen just trying to figure out where they fit. I also taught in the Psychology Department at Vanguard University.
In 2010 I started Teen Therapy OC. Of all the types of clients I had worked with, I enjoyed teenagers the most. Their sass, wit, hope for the future, and raw honesty about their pain has been something to treasure. It’s been my mission to make sure each client at Teen Therapy OC has been valued and respected. At this point in my career I don’t always have room for new cases, but I’ve been extremely selective in putting together a team of caring, no-nonsense therapists whom I trust to take great care of your teen if I don’t have an opening. I passionately care about your child from the moment you first call to the day your child finishes therapy (and even beyond that). The most important thing my years of experience with teens and families has taught me is that to show interest and care for the life of an adolescent is to give that teenager love and hope they can lean on for the rest of their life. It is my honor to walk with your family and your teenager through whatever it is you are facing.
Education:
Vanguard University: Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology
University of Arizona: Bachelor’s Degree is Psychology with Emphasis in Cognitive Neuroscience
License Information:
I am licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California: MFT # 49367.