Meet Your Therapist
Bonita, LPCC
Therapy in my family was taboo. We didn’t “talk” about things. You had to be strong, not weak… keep things inside instead of showing emotions. Like many minority communities, counseling/therapy is not a “thing”. We talk to each other, not strangers. Well, sometimes that’s not enough, especially if the depression, anxiety, and trauma is the result of your family of origin.
A question I get asked often is, “Why did you become a trauma therapist?” I never thought I would/could work with trauma, but when I reflected over the course of my life, ultimately, I could relate to many things my clients experienced, and I wanted to help.
We talk about big and little “t” traumas, and I like to say “paper-cuts” hurt too. I’ve experienced many paper cuts in my life, and my goal is to help you heal yours. If you have wounds that are deeper than surface level, I want to help you heal those as well. I became fascinated with childhood (complex) trauma and structural dissociation; then I learned as much as I could so I could help my clients navigate the complex landscape that is their past.
With that said, I am very a light-hearted individual with a laid back and fun style. You may come into therapy feeling isolated, broken, and even feeling dissociated from self. It is my role to walk alongside you until you feel supported, whole and present. As we work together utilizing EMDR, you will begin to view the world, the people around you and yourself differently. Therapy will allow you to see colors again instead of viewing everything in black and white. You will smell the flowers, rainwater, and your favorite cologne once more. And you will just feel better!
Your treatment plan will revolve around your specific goals. We will talk about your childhood, your family dynamics, and what specific event was your breaking point. Using that information we will structure our therapy around where you ultimately want to be. YOU take an active role in your treatment plan, goals and outcome.
My Background:
• Bachelor of Science: Social Psychology
• Master of Arts: Marriage and Family Therapy
• Master of Arts: Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• EMDR International Association Certified Therapist
• EMDRIA Approved Consultant-in-Training
• EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Program (HAP) Facilitator-in-Training
• Ohio Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, License # E.2404034
I have advanced EMDR Trainings in the Flash Protocol, Ego State Therapy, Attachment Focused Therapy, Structural Dissociation, EMDR 2.0, and Moovd WeMind.
How to reach me:
You can call my assistant Tika, but she does growl a lot; so perhaps just complete the Schedule Your Consultation form. I look forward to working with you!
Bonita
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