About Me
In the years that I’ve spent in this field, I’ve enjoyed watching families grow and growing with families.
I love seeing them transform with more positive communication, effective conflict, and emotional expression.
I especially like connecting with kids and working with them to find pieces of themselves that they didn’t know were worthwhile or valuable to others.
I’ve worked with children in the mental health field for 9 years in multiple settings including the home, school, day treatment, after school programs, and day care.
I have worked with kids since I was a kid!
I have always enjoyed engaging with children, whether it be as a camp counselor, classroom helper, or babysitter. I am a licensed clinical social worker.
It is important to me that therapy feels like a team effort. I’m not here to tell parents what to do, but to make suggestions and see what works!
While working with me, your child will learn to name feelings, voice their needs in healthy ways, and to self-soothe.
They do this through a process where I take what’s happening on the inside and put it on the outside with toys, drawing, movement, song, and role play with stuffies. Then I put these tools in your child’s hands.
That way, we can both see what they want to do with their feelings and situation
and help them to find out how to get there. Then, your child will begin to heal through imaginative play, physical movement, and nature-based experiences.
Parents often bring their kids to me because of troubling behaviors.
What they might not realize is that behavior is only the tip of the iceberg.
It can actually be the key to understanding what’s happening inside that’s causing them distress.
All behavior is communication! Because of this, it is crucial to me that we take both a “top-down” and “bottom-up” approach when it comes to therapy.
Kids don’t often reason their way into better behaviors and happier lives.
The point is to do things that help them to feel better in their bodies
and show them how they can use these tools on their own.
The troubles between you and your child don’t exist because of personality flaws, a lack of character, or unwillingness on either part.
These conflicts arise when kids don’t have the tools to meet expectations. We just need to give them the tools that helps them to know that they can.
Specialties
I have experience working with:
- Children ages 4-10 with symptoms of anxiety, depression, ADHD, PTSD, or attachment disorders
- Parents of children with challenging behaviors
- Siblings affected by stress in the home
- Grandparents raising grandchildren, especially affected others of substance use disorder
Qualifications
Years in Practice: 3 Years
License: Maine / LC21225
School: University of Maine
Year Graduated: 2019
Other Experience:
| Part-time School Social Worker: | Sebago Elementary, Sebago, ME. 2022 |
| Clinician: | Counseling and Trauma Therapy Associates. Biddeford, ME. 2020-2022 |
| Clinician: | Pathways of Maine, Brunswick, ME. 2019-2020 |
| Behavioral Health Professional: | Pathways of Maine, Brunswick, ME. 2017-2019 |
| Mediator: | The Opportunity Alliance, South Portland, ME. 2017 |
| Behavioral Health Professional/Ed Tech III: | The Collaborative School, New Goucester, ME. 2015-2017 |
| Casual Substitute Teacher: | Bowdoin Child Care Center, Brunswick, ME. 2014-2015 |
| Student Mentor: | Partnership for Youth Development, New Orleans, LA. 2013 |
| MA in English specializing in Southern literature: | Tulane University, New Orleans, LA. 2013 |
| Resident Advisor: | Tulane University, New Orleans, LA. 2009-2012 |
| BA in English and Environmental Studies: | Tulane University, New Orleans, LA. 2012 |
| Junior Volunteer: | North Oaks Hospital Psychiatric Unit, Hammond, LA. 2008 |
Payment
Cost per Session: $150
Pay by: ACH Bank transfer, Cash, Check
Accepted Insurance Plans:
- Anthem | Elevance
- Blue Cross
- Blue Shield
- BlueCross and BlueShield
- Harvard Pilgrim
- Maine Community Health Options
- Optum
- UnitedHealthcare UHC | UBH
- Out of Network