About
About Me
I am a Virginia Licensed Professional Counselor (Va Lic# 0701011227). I provide counseling for females ages 14 to adult, families and couples. Although I specialize in females counseling, I do take male clients. I am a Christian counselor and do believe that a spiritual perspective is important in counseling and I am open to exploring any religious or spiritual concerns that you might have. My practice also caters to mothers managing the transition and challenges of parenthood. While the emotions surrounding adding a new child to your life and family can be full of joy, there are times when managing the transition can be difficult and can place additional stress on you and your relationships.
Training and Experience
I have my PhD in Professional Counseling with research in Help Seeking Experiences of Black Women who Struggled with Postpartum Depression Symptoms. I received my Masters in Professional Counseling from Liberty University. My education, internship practicum and training are all accredited. I am a National Certified Counselor. I have training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). I attend continuing education workshops and conventions to stay abreast of counseling techniques/treatments. I have specific education in women’s issues and women experiencing postpartum depression. I continue getting specialized training in these areas through workshops and conferences.
During the early phase of counseling (the first few sessions generally), I will encourage you to share information with me that will help me understand you and that will help me know more about the nature and history of the concerns that brought you to counseling. As such, I may inquire about a number of aspects of your life (e.g., work, family, church, social relationships, health, and spirituality). I also may refer you to another professional (a medical doctor, for example) to help me gain more insight into your concerns or to take one or more psychological tests. This background information will help us clarify your needs and treatment options. Towards the end of the early phase, we’ll go over some intervention strategies to consider for your treatment.
My approach to counseling frequently contains more than just coming to sessions and talking. Sometimes, we might develop projects or activities that you can do outside the session to further promote your healing. These activities can be very helpful to insure the changes you experience in the sessions translate into your life outside of the session.