Best Addiction & Substance Abuse Counselors in Ashland, OR

I became motivated to pursue a career in psychotherapy through my lived experience as a trauma survivor and a recovering addict. My specialties include treating depression, anxiety, relationship issues, chemical dependency, process addictions, and trauma-related disorders. I am fortunate to have had a rewarding and successful career in the mental health field which includes working for 18 years as a fully licensed therapist, providing over 10,000 hours of individual and group psychotherapy, running my own professional training company, and doing research into psychosocial rehabilitation models. My approach to psychotherapy is very client-centered and while I am eager to learn and apply a wide variety of treatment modalities I believe this work is highly individualized. I enjoy working with a diverse client base and my priorities are to build strong relationships and work with clients to apply their individual strengths towards whatever life challenges they are seeking to overcome.

I am a positive, pragmatic, relational therapist who will meet you where you are at. My goal is to give you support through life's ups and downs. I have experience in helping clients with stress and anxiety, coping with addictions, motivation, self esteem, and confidence, & depression. I believe in treating everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. I will tailor our dialog and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs. My Christian faith is very important to me and is a big part of who I am. Even though I have a strong faith my purpose is not to evangelize but respect each client's own belief system. Taking the first step to seeking a more fulfilling and happier life takes courage. I am here to support you in that process.

Devoted to not only assist you in embarking on a journey of self-discovery, but also, ways in which you can best utilize the gifts that you possess! I am an ambitious, strength based counselor yearning to change the ways that we view mental health. I graduated from Lenoir Rhyne University where I obtained a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. My professional credentials include Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) in North Carolina, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Oregon, Qualified Supervisor (QS), Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist (LCAS), and Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) in the state of North Carolina. My expertise stems in the treatment and management of co-occurring disorders, of which include experience in working with low motivation/self-esteem, life adjustments, trauma-related difficulties, anxiety/depression, substance use difficulties, as well as aspects of various mood and personality disorders (borderline, narcissistic, etc)! Although I consider myself to have knowledge in several treatment interventions, I utilize a combination of strength based and behavioral interventions, of which include Solution Focused Therapy, Reality Therapy with Choice Theory, as well as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (CBT/DBT). My approaches to counseling are grounded in holistic wellness and choice theory. Holistic approaches include inquiry about different aspects that make up your life and that you believe contribute to making you well or less well. These areas are integrative health approaches that focus on mental, body, spiritual, emotional, and connection wellness. I also harness skills to allow for further assessment and inquiry surrounding informed food choices, potential food allergies, as well as supplementation to aid with mental health improvements. Choice theory is an approach that focuses on our motivation to pursue a never-ending quest to satisfy 5 basic needs woven into our genes: to love and belong, to be powerful, to be free, to have fun and to survive. I encourage all individuals to lean into the collaborative process between therapist and client to find solutions to better your mental health. This therapy pursuit also facilitates a process of taking responsibility for the perceptions and responsibilities of choices in your life. I adopt philosophies that adopt a bio-psycho-social lens to most assist individuals in taking ownership of their lives once again.