About Nessa
Licensed Clinical Social Worker/ Director
In life and as a therapist, I have learned the hard way how many obstacles can be in an average path. These detours and obstacles have shaped the way I look at life and have molded me into the person and therapist that I am. Although they were not events I would have chosen, they have been a necessary part of my path. I am a firm believer that mindset, perseverance and hope can help us to survive and thrive during difficult seasons. I believe that we can take the bad, the sad, and the negative and use it to fuel our strength, growth, and resilience. I find my passion in helping others sort through the darkness in their lives to find their light, their hope, and their path. Not forgetting what they have been through, but finding a way to connect it to who they are today and who they wish to become.
One of the biggest factors in successful treatment is being able to develop a connection with your therapist and feeling like you can be open, honest and interactive with them. Therapy is not JUST about coming into a session and talking for an hour every 1-2 weeks. It’s about exploring your past and present, learning new skills, challenging negative thoughts, and growing as a person. This often means in-session activities, homework assignments, journaling, and/or practicing skills between appointments. It means taking an active role in creating the changes you want to see in yourself, but also being able to have the support and encouragement you need to finish the process.
In treatment, I use a non-judgmental but fairly straightforward approach. I can be compassionate and kind, but also realistic about the situations at hand. I am very open minded, but will address patterns or behaviors that may be working against you creating progress or growth. I will support you but will also push you to push yourself when needed. We can vary between in office sessions and virtual teletherapy appointments based on what is the best fit for you and your scheduling needs. The important thing is finding the right flow in treatment to help you through and out of the process of counseling and back to living your most authentic and balanced self.
I have obtained Master’s degrees in both Social Work and Business Administration in Management. These have helped me have a more well-rounded view in how I approach people and situations. My studies have also helped in working with professionals and having a good understanding of where their stress levels and work demands intersect with their personal lives and development. I have further sought out specialized training in the areas of trauma, grief and loss, as well as completing extensive training and requirements for an EMDRIA Certification in EMDR.
One of the first things that I will often tell clients is that ‘the ultimate goal of therapy is being able to fire your therapist because you don’t need them anymore’. That the goal of therapy is to get a person back to engaging in their own day to day life and feeling comfortable and confident in themselves and where they are headed. I believe that a good therapist is constantly working towards working themselves out of a job for the benefit of their clients.