"Being seen, heard and known is the greatest gift we can receive." Growing up is a lifelong journey and knowing how to effectively navigate and interpret the world around us can have a huge impact on our behaviors and how we feel about ourselves. All too often, our "issues" are masks for feelings of frustration, hurt, sadness, guilt, shame and unclear expectations. For children, especially, behavior is communication and listening to the underlying message is key. I have 14 years of experience as a school counselor and have worked with children and their families to support their success in school and in life, particularly managing challenges stemming from trauma, gender identity, ADHD and ASD. I use a culturally competent, strengths-based, creative approach to counseling with experiential, hands-on techniques tailored to the individual. I maintain my licensure as a school counselor, am a Certified Clinical Trauma Practitioner and am trained in Parts Work, Play Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I am currently in my Residency working towards full licensure as a LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) in VA under the supervision of Amy Reamer, LMFT, RPT-S.