Having a child is life changing. As an expectant or new parent, moments of excitement and joy, can often be overtaken by fears and self-doubt, anger and frustration, sadness, regret. As you flow into the early years of parenthood and beyond, you might find yourself screaming “What about me?!” Or let a sense of failure seep in when you’ve seemingly accomplished nothing all day, or you and your kids are struggling.
You are not alone! Know that there is no such thing as the “perfect parent” or perfect child. The truth is, parenting is not easy, it can be messy, exhausting, imperfect; as well as gratifying, uplifting, and wonderful. No one has it all together, all of the time. Being good enough is OK, and good parenting!
Whether you are new to parenting or you’ve been doing it a long time, let me meet you where you are in your journey. We can work together to explore your unique situation, address your parenting challenges, and feel confident as you embrace the many ups and downs of parenthood.
My clinical counseling experience has been in a variety of community settings, including civilian and military parenting programs with a focus on perinatal mental health, parenting education, parent-child relationships, military life challenges, life transitions, loss, grief, and end of life concerns. I utilize Art Therapy as my primary clinical focus, integrating the protective factors framework into work with parents and families.
I hold a Master of Arts degree in Creative Arts in Therapy-Art Therapy, (1994) Hahnemann University Graduate School (Drexel University) Philadelphia, PA. I have been a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC), North Carolina #3312, since 1999. And a Board Certified, Registered Art Therapist (ATR-BC) #96-074 since 1996. In addition, I am trained and certified as a Perinatal Mental Health Professional (PMH-C) #PSI6495, Nurturing Parenting Program facilitator, Parents as Teachers parent educator, International Association of Infant Massage instructor, and End of Life Doula.
Additional areas of focus: Relationship issues, Family conflicts, Grief, Anger management, Self esteem, Depression, Domestic Violence, Hospice and End of Life Counseling, Military and Veterans Issues, Postpartum Depression, Pregnancy and childbirth, Women's issues, Young Adult Issues
SC LPC 8402
NC LCMHC 3312