Hey, I’m Alaina!
We all struggle and its uncomfortable, yet – it’s a normal and natural part of everyone’s life.
When we struggle, we might notice we get stuck in thoughts, behaviors, relationships, and patterns we recognize are not helping us, but we don’t know how to stop or change these patterns. No worries, we have all been there! We will explore how these patterns have served you to this point, what barriers are keeping you feeling stuck, and figure out what changes you want to make to live the life that is meaningful to you!
You will be able to implement effective tools to feel more centered and work towards your goals with more confidence.
We will use a few different talk therapy approaches to help individualize the therapeutic experience to your needs and help you accomplish your goals. There are so many effective tools/ skills out there that can help you feel empowered, grounded and engaged in meaningful ways. Let’s work together and identify what feels best for you.
My Specialties
The struggle is real, that may be why you find yourself looking for a therapist! I also dare to guess you have many strengths you may not give yourself credit for.
My education path was uncertain at first. Not knowing what my career path would be after graduating high school, I entered Monroe Community College and fell in love with the study of psychology. From there I focused my bachelor’s degree on Psychology at SUNY Geneseo and went on to get my master’s at St. John Fisher University in Mental Health Counseling.
My personal experiences, education and professional career have afforded me many opportunities for growth and development. In my career, I initially worked with individuals from many different walks of life, experiencing struggles with disordered eating behaviors, anxiety, depression, relationship conflict, perfectionism, and a wide range of other issues.
Now, I enjoy working with individuals struggling with overeating behaviors, anxiety, low self-worth, life transitions, and healthy relationship dynamics with the self and others. I lean mostly into the use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), while also utilizing skills from Mindfulness based Cognitive Therapy and other evidence-based talk therapy approaches. Further, I am committed to continuing to learn and stay up to date on my areas of specialty and the therapeutic approaches I utilize in sessions to best serve you!
My Approach to Therapy
Intentionality: What is important to you, where are you now and what do you want your life to look like? Let’s explore this more, and identify realistic, actionable skills, thought processes, and patterns that will be effective for you to live aligned with what matters most to you.
Empowering: Some of us are our own worst critic, making it hard to recognize our growth, progress and successes. We will work towards being kinder to yourself, appreciating the journey towards your goals, and trusting yourself to make decisions that are meaningful to you.
Mindfulness Based: We are often so worried about the past or the future that we don’t recognize where we are right now. This can make us feel stuck, uncertain and keep us in cycles that aren’t serving us well. Our thoughts can feel all-consuming and out of control and they do not have to. We will help you to slow down and choose how you want to engage with the world instead of our thoughts running the
show.
