My belief is that life isn’t black or white, right or wrong, good or bad. It is building a life worth living and enjoying. I earned a Master of Social Work and a Master of Science degree in gerontology (the study of aging). I am licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in Utah and Alaska. The 4,000 hours required to become an LCSW were done in State of Utah and Salt Lake County crisis services, emergency departments, and the Huntsman Mental Health Institute.
Over half of therapy effectiveness is the client/therapist relationship. My responsibility is to create a safe, listening, accepting, challenging, and validating space. In turn, the client is open, honest and wants to do the work. I practice evidence-based DBT (dialectical behavioral therapy) and ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) teaching skills to improve depression, anxiety, PTSD, borderline personality disorder and substance use disorders. Working for Highland Springs for the past seven years has allowed me to do individual and group therapy. Importantly, I don’t believe in a power differential; “We’re just walking each other home.”
