LICENSED CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST, FOUNDER

I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist committed to providing quality therapy to adults. I focus on helping people find relief from their concerns, while gaining valuable insights to make long-lasting change and become the best versions of themselves. I believe strongly in creating a nonjudgmental and trusting environment, to help clients feel heard and understood.

Over twenty years ago, I started working in the mental health field. I currently meet with people virtually or in-person. Areas of expertise include: peripartum mood disorders, infertility, grief/loss (miscarriages and stillborns), self-esteem, depression, and relationship concerns.

In my approach to therapy, I want to provide relief from those symptoms that prompted you to start this journey. While providing some tools to help give symptom relief, we may also look deeper into the issues to identify potential root causes. People often do not realize their current discomfort is part of a long-standing, unhelpful pattern of relating to oneself, the world, and others. I want to help heal some of those deeper hurtful patterns, so you do not keep repeating what makes you feel unhappy. After therapy, I hope you would feel mentally stronger and more able to handle whatever life sends your way.

I received my doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology in Chicago, IL. I also have a master's degree in Counseling Psychology from Western Michigan University.

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PSYCHIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONER

I am a licensed nurse practitioner, board certified as an Adult Psychiatric-Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist. I provide psychiatric evaluation and medication management for adults with acute and chronic mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. In working with individuals, I support their inherent motivation to maximize control over their health and well-being using lifestyle behaviors such as exercise, nutrition, and stress management techniques.

Education: 

B.S.N. - Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Northern Illinois University
M.S.N. - Masters of Science in Nursing from Wayne State University
D.N.P. – Doctor of Nursing Practice from Madonna University

Certifications:
Adult Psychiatric-Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist by the American Nurses Credentialing Center
Nurse Practitioner Specialty Certification by the State of Michigan
Nurse Health Educator Graduate Certification by Madonna University

*Nurse Practitioners in Michigan can be delegated prescriptive authority through a collaborative agreement with a physician licensed to practice medicine.

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LICENSED CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, board certified in cognitive and behavioral psychology, with over 25 years of experience. I offer therapy, consultation and assessments for those with mood concerns, academic/career issues, Anxiety Disorders, such as Panic Disorder, Phobias, Obsessive-Compulsive, & Generalized Anxiety (including in vivo exposure trials and exposure and response prevention), and chronic pain.

I begin all new clients with a comprehensive evaluation that leads to an individually-tailored treatment plan. My working style is respectful and collaborative. I greatly appreciate the trust that my clients place in me, and I strive to provide them with the best possible service that reflects the ethical standards of my profession.  All of my interventions are practical, transparent, evidence-based, and designed to empower my clients to graduate from therapy with skills they can apply going forward in life. Overall, I believe growth involves learning new skills, gaining insight, and ultimately changing behavior to meet one's goals.

I earned my Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology from Emory University in Atlanta, GA. Throughout my professional career, I was the Chair of the Division of Behavioral Sciences and tenured Full Professor of Psychology at Oglethorpe University, worked in private practice with adults and kids, provided outpatient pain management through Mary Free Bed, and wrote several publications pertinent to cutting edge areas of the field. I am also a Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at WMU’s Homer Stryker MD Medical School.

**My practice is now accepting kids and teens. My training has included working with children who had dual diagnoses of psychological and medical conditions and developing a child/teen pain management treatment protocol at Mary Free Bed Hospital, where colleagues and I emphasized the use of Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, and physical/occupational therapies to help children manage chronic pain, headaches, and related conditions with less need for medications. My research on how children and teens develop social skills and personality strengths, such as an internal locus of control, is widely cited in peer-reviewed journals. I have expertise in treating the following:

- Anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety, specific phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (the latter using Exposure with Response Prevention) 

- Mood disorders, such as depression and disruptive mood dysregulation disorder

- Tics, skin picking, hair pulling, and related body-focused repetitive behaviors using CBIT and Habit Reversal Therapies

- Enuresis and Encopresis using behavioral therapy within a bio-psycho-social model

- Compliance issues, including school refusal and oppositional behaviors

- ADHD treatment and academic coaching, including a willingness to attend 504 and IEP meetings and to collaborate with teachers

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