As a dedicated Clinical Social Worker, I offer specialized consultation aimed at providing fresh perspectives on challenging cases. My expertise lies in neurobiological approaches to attachment, navigating the complexities of adolescence, and implementing trauma-informed practices. I embrace a humanistic and experiential approach, fostering a nonjudgmental space that prioritizes the therapeutic alliance.I believe in empowering my consultees and supervisees, ensuring they leave our sessions feeling hopeful and motivated to re-engage with their clients. Together, we can explore innovative strategies that enhance therapeutic effectiveness and support resilience in both practitioners and those we serve. Let's collaborate to deepen our understanding and strengthen the impact of our work.

Independent contractor providing psychotherapy as a Clinical Social Worker

Found my flow in this dynamic and intensive clinical role. Psychotherapy delivered for children and their families in the community utilizing multiple models, constant case conceptualization that incorporated client centered principals. Gained additional experience with trauma informed practices, crisis intervention and management, severe depression and anxiety symptoms, intergenerational family dynamics for wide range of family systems, systemic and environmental oppression, community collaboration, direct training and application in attachment trauma. Collaborated with families and community in managing symptoms of intrusive thoughts, auditory and visual hallucinations with a trauma informed perspective and goal of keeping youth in the community.

Applied Solution-Focused Therapeutic Services to individuals and families achieving reunification following foster care placement. Utilized a team approach in collaboration with clients, foster care workers, and family reunification workers to create and follow Individualized Treatment Plans.Taught family bonding, parenting skills, effective communication, and interpersonal and intrapersonal skills.Utilized DBT and CBT therapies to enhance coping and communication skills, emotional regulation, and mindfulness.

Provided direct patient support during acute and chronic crisis. Examples include family care decision meetings, removal of life support, and adjusting to chronic, terminal, and long-term illness. As a Case Management Intern on the Coronary Care Unit and Neuro Intensive Care Unit I completed psychosocial assessments to identify long term or future care needs in collaboration with patients, patient families, and interdisciplinary teams.

In my foundation level practicum I gained working knowledge on childhood development at a therapeutic daycare for children with social and emotional delays. I learned how behavioral modification and social learning interventions can be implemented on family and individual levels to drastically improve outcomes for children. I also identified challenges and strengths in initiating, implementing, and terminating services. My responsibilities included working with the clinical staff to prepare and run psychoeducational groups for parents and caregivers. I accompanied multidisciplinary staff members on home visits, intake assessments, and treatment team meetings. In addition to scoring and interpreting DECA and Achenbach assessment tools, I gained familiarity with FIRP documentation and IPOC development.

Connected clients to linguistic and culturally appropriate services during the aftermath of a violent crime by working with victim advocates, law enforcement, and other services providers. I was able to apply knowledge gained from trainings on healthcare, victim services, and human trafficking to advocate for access to services. I also played an active role on the Event Committee for the Spring 2014 fundraising event. My experience ended when my foundation year practicum began as a graduate student.

My favorite aspect of this position was teaching anti-bullying and predator prevention classes to children ages 4-12 using the "Armor" curriculum by ProMartialArts. Lessons included not only providing education on negative outcomes for children who display/engage in behavior associated with bullying, but also how to be assertive and express emotions effectively to reduce conflict. In addition to teaching classes onsite and offsite I was involved in outreach and bullying awareness efforts at a variety of community events.

This intensive hands-on internship was an invaluable start to my social work career. I facilitated reunions between adoptive and birth family members, which included supporting clients prior to, during, and after a reunion. In addition to meeting clients with support in a variety of emotional states, consultations and reunions were completed over the phone. This emphasized the importance of developing and implementing strong active listening and communication in absence of non-verbal aspects of communication, to remain fully present with each client. Productively counseling clients in high stress situations, often when the parties disagreed on preferred outcomes, shaped my value of honoring client self-determination, and maintaining professional integrity. The benefits of this experience continue today, much after the practicum ended.

Independently Contracted to serve a wide variety of clients to set, achieve, and evaluate individualized fitness and health goals. Independent clients maintained and certified through 2014, however date is shortened to highlight social work experience above.

Coached, assisted, and motivated clients to identify, monitor, and achieve physical fitness and health goals.