I have been working with children, adolescents, and young adults since 2000 in a number of non-profit and private organizations. Early on, I helped organize the teen advisory board for pregnancy prevention and adolescent self esteem programs in Portland, Oregon. Since returning to Boulder, I worked as a residential counselor at Attention Homes, a group home for at-risk youth, and completed my graduate internship working with children, adolescents, and families at the Mental Health Center of Boulder County. I was also a primary case worker for several years at AIM House, a private residential transitional program for young women.
I have worked with many high-risk teenagers and young adults who have struggled with drug and alcohol abuse and addiction, social anxiety and shyness, general anxiety and panic attacks, depression, grief and loss issues, trauma, school issues, and complex family issues. While all of these can be horrific for the individual and families involved, the underlying resiliency present in each of these young people and families is the foundation that we build from in the healing process. The core value and the innate goodness of each person can be nurtured and strengthened to work through the most difficult of situations.
Additional Services Offered:
- Parent Coaching - I offer support for parents who are navigating difficult terrain with their adolescents and young adults, including divorce, transition from middle school to high school, abd transition from high school to college and adulthood. While these times can be very difficult for the children, who may also need therapeutic support, it is imperative that parents acknowledge their own difficulties, patterns, and feelings present in the conflict. When parents are able to work through their own issues, it provides a healthy model for their children to do the same. Parents' ability to take care of themselves through conflicts is emphasized.
Groups:
- Support Group for Shy High School Students - meets weekly in Boulder. Please contact me for information about joining the group!
Why I enjoy working with adolescents:
Adolescence is such an amazing, magical, wondrous, and tumultuous time of life. There is such ripe ground for exploration and discovery, yet many young people get stuck in the mud along the journey. It has been a great joy and education for me to work with teenagers and young adults in a variety of settings, and it was these experiences that set me off on my own journey into psychology. Through these experiences, I have become keenly aware of the power of HOPE for change that is present and crucial when working with young people. When coupled with deep listening, a lot of humor, and witnessing the unique person experiencing their world for the first time, the process of therapy can be a profoundly rewarding experience for both client and therapist.
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