Thank you for visiting Roots Family Therapy with services in Atascadero and San Luis Obispo. My practice is dedicated to supporting the mental health and overall well-being of adolescents and young adults. Being an adolescent can feel amazing, while also feeling confusing and terrifying with all of the new things and changes they are experiencing during this time. The brain is developing at a rapid pace from about age 12 to age 24, changing the way adolescents think, reason, focus attention, make decisions, and interact within their social network of peers and adults. My approach begins by strengthening self-awareness and self-esteem, followed by building a “tool box” of skills to improve decision-making, cope with the emotional ups and downs of life, develop personal goals, and celebrate progress.
My practice specializes in working with adolescents/young adults and their families, through individual, family and group counseling. I have extensive experience and training in working with adolescents and young adults struggling with depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, substance abuse, grief/loss, gang involvement, trauma, divorce and separation, peer-relationship issues, and other behavioral concerns. I utilize evidence-based approaches, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR).
In addition to providing individual and family counseling, I facilitate group counseling for adolescents and young adults which can be a highly beneficial addition to support progress made in individual and family therapy. Groups can also be an effective alternative to traditional one-on-one talk therapy. Groups enable participants to form bonds with peers in a safe and structured environment; enable them to understand that their concerns are not unique to them (others can relate); and share personal feelings that they have difficulty verbalizing to adults.
I utilize specific, evidence-based curricula as guides for the group sessions. The groups are dynamic with many hands-on, experience-based opportunities for exploring feelings, thoughts, behaviors and much more. I strive to create a balance of focused reflection and learning with a fun and engaging energy. It is my goal to establish an environment that enables group members to be their most genuine selves and feel a strong sense of connection to the other participants in the group.
New groups are forming on a continuous basis in Atascadero and San Luis Obispo. I very much look forward to the opportunity to talk with you and share more about the available groups.
COMMUNITY CLASSES
To be announced soon.
RESOURCES
National Institute of Mental Health: Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Anxiety and Depression Association of America: Children and Teens
Mindful: What’s Going on Inside the Teen Brain?
National Institute of Mental Health: The Teen Brain: Still Under Construction
Roots Family Therapy 