With 10 years of experience in School Counseling, I am committed to helping students unlock their full academic, social, and emotional potential. I specialize in guiding students through transitions, whether it's adjusting to a new school year, navigating challenges, or discovering their strengths. I believe in the power of collaboration between parents and schools and enjoy being the link that fosters meaningful partnerships to support student growth. Whether it's through coaching, counseling, collaboration, and/or advocacy, I'm here to work alongside you in supporting your student's success.
Coaching
Educational coaching is a basis for helping your student create a plan for change. While developing a relationship based on trust and mutual commitment, I will help your student develop academic and non-academic goals. All goals are student-driven and can be related to various areas, including (but not limited to) grades, organization, time management, executive functioning skills, and self-advocacy.
While working towards goals, we will celebrate successes and reflect on opportunities. Through teaching and modeling communication methods, organizational skills, and advocacy, I will help your student develop motivation and confidence. Most importantly, we will build life skills that will help your student reach their potential for middle school, high school, and beyond!
Counseling
Student success is not linear and often involves addressing obstacles inside and outside the walls of a school building. As a licensed School Counselor, I have worked extensively with students who struggle with various mental health issues. Students are my priority, and I help them to understand that our meetings are a safe space to discuss any potential social, emotional, or academic obstacle that may keep them from reaching their full potential.
School-based counseling issues can include, but are not limited to depression, anxiety, communication, peer relationships, identity, self-regulation, conflict resolution, coping skills, mindfulness, family conflict, and classroom challenges. Additionally, I have worked as a member of a trauma response team for a large school district, completed numerous comprehensive risk assessments, and coordinated the short-term absences & returns to school for students who needed to take a break for mental health reasons. My counseling approach is based on tenets of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).
Collaboration
My ability to support a student and affect change largely depends on my relationships with all stakeholders. I work closely with parents/guardians, teachers, administrators, counselors, therapists, and additional resources to ensure success, including email, phone calls, text, and in-person meetings.
Advocacy
The ability to self-advocate is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children. I prioritize empowering children to advocate for themselves by helping them to understand, develop appropriate vocabulary and build confidence to describe their unique learning style and needs.
As a School Counselor, I led the process, data collection, policies, and accountability measures for Section 504 plans for middle and high school students. I am dedicated to helping parents navigate processes within schools, including 504 plans and IEPs. I work closely with parents to help them understand how various evaluations (ADHD, ASD, neuropsychological) translate into the development of appropriate supports and interventions within the school setting. Equally, I work with schools to help them understand the unique needs of students and develop practices that are both effective and sustainable. By focusing on strategies that work, I aim to create lasting change that benefits students in the long term.