Meet Authentic Hope

Hello! I work with adults, children, teens, young adults and support LGBTQ+ clients and their families. I specialize in serving patients who struggle with anxiety, grief and trauma recovery. I am affirming and encourage others in through embodied and empowerment practices. Whether you are a single mom struggling to get it all done or a college student juggling too many expectations, there is a place to find peace. You may need to sit and cry or laugh and dream. We will explore your needs together and take small steps towards big change using trauma-informed techniques.

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I have extensive experience with children and families who have experienced abuse or trauma. Treatment may include EMDR for trauma processing or sand tray for a child with anxiety. Play is incorporated into our work with children as it is their primary language. There are many embodied tools we can use to heal our hearts, our bodies and our spirits.​

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I provide support for individuals struggling with anxiety, social anxiety, depression, issues around gender and/or sexuality, grief/life transitions, school and relationship issues. My main focus is ages 6-25-ish. Accepting and affirming of LGBTQ2IA+ individuals, as well as those in non-traditional relationships and family structures.

 

The toolbox I draw from includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), play therapy, sand tray, Polyvagal Theory, mindfulness and self-compassion practices. I value play, trauma-informed care, anti-oppression, cultural humility and a healthy dose of humor.

 

My therapeutic style is warm, collaborative, and strengths-based. Together, we can identify your goals, whether they be to overcome certain fears, navigate stressors, learn to handle big emotions, or simply to just feel better. We will create a roadmap for meeting these goals, and along the way, I offer myself as a kind and compassionate collaborator.

Feel like no one understands you? Do you even understand yourself? Have you experienced trauma and don’t know how to keep moving forward? I work with women, teens, and children navigating the aftermath of trauma. This can come in the form of depression, anxiety, relationship issues, intimacy issues, and other concerns.

 

Working together we will use a combination of evidenced based approaches like CBT, SFT, and Play Therapy. Together we will create a plan to take back control and develop skills that let you live life after trauma. 

 

Parents: I work with children, ages 7-17 years old, struggling with trauma and anxiety. I utilize age appropriate treatments to help children and teens overcome their struggles. I enjoy working with children as they continue to show me how resilient and capable they are.

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In addition to my Master’s in Social Work I completed an intensive fellowship that focused on treatment and understanding of trauma (Trauma-Based Behavioral Health Fellowship, through Southern Illinois University - School of Medicine).

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I invite you to reach out to me if you are looking for someone who can meet you where you are now, and are looking for encouragement, motivation, and/or new paths for your journey.  We will identify what makes you uniquely you, and what tools are missing from your life’s toolbox in order to restore, regulate, and rebuild. Together, we will explore and challenge belief patterns as you build a stronger foundation and relationship with yourself and others.

 

I work with a wide spectrum of individuals and age groups, 5 years and older, who are impacted by life transitions, including grief, loss, anxiety, depression and trauma recovery. I support and affirm mixed cultural identities, X generation immigrants, transracial adoptees, queer, autistic and gender divergent (autigender), and neurodivergent people who may be struggling with relationships, change, chronic illness, disordered eating and body image. Using a holistic approach, I will pull from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectic Behavior Therapy (DBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), 12 step programs, Non-Diet/Health At Every Size, and encourage art, nature, animals and movement.  Finding laughter and joy is key to healing, so my style is playful and humorous.

I believe that everyone has the ability to write their own life story. There are times where we hit barriers that interrupt our lives and cause distress. My goal is to help clients regain power over their own story and become their confident, true selves.

 

I am currently a student intern working towards my Master's of Social Work. I use the Humanistic perspective, where I practice empathy and believe in the worth of each individual. Right now, I am open to seeing a variety of clients as I seek to strengthen my cultural competence. I work with children, older adults, and all ages in between. I also have experience with the Veteran, Neurodivergent, and LGBTQIA+ communities. Some techniques I enjoy using are Narrative Theory and Solutions-Focused Therapy.​

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I am a student intern working toward my Master’s of Social Work at Portland State University. My passions include maternal mental health and the perinatal period, empowerment of emerging adults, play and art therapies for all ages, and solutions-focused work. I also have experience working with families impacted by physical and developmental disabilities, chronic illness, and grief/loss.

 

I believe that each of us has the strength, vision, and fortitude to create the joyful, connected life we want to live. Through compassionate, insightful, and supportive dialogue, my goal is to help you identify your next steps toward building that life.

 

I enjoy many different creative outlets including pottery, fiber arts, basketry, gardening, and painting. I believe the act of creating beautiful things is a fundamental need as well as our human birthright. Together, let’s reclaim our creative potential away from the productivity mindset we’ve inherited, and relearn the joy of the process.