Sophia was a medical social worker for a psychiatric hospital for over 4 years running group therapy and completing biopsychosocial assessments. Sophia also provided supportive counseling for clients with end-stage renal disease for over 5 years. Sophia received her clinical license in 2020, right after COVID-19 hit. She realized the mental toll COVID-19 had taken on several of her patients, family members, and friends. She decided at that point to go into a group practice and then private practice.
My approach
Sophia’s therapeutic approach is based on getting to know the client’s history, their values, what brings them into therapy, and what their therapeutic goals are. Her top modalities include cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, solutions-focused therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, narrative therapy, and post-traumatic growth. Her specialties include anxiety, depression, postpartum anxiety, postpartum depression, bipolar disorder I and II, borderline personality disorder, chemical dependency, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
My focus
The client population Sophia works with includes teenagers ages 13 and older, young adults, and adults. Sophia works with those struggling with fertility, postpartum anxiety, and postpartum depression as well.
My communication style
Sophia believes that active listening and having empathy are of utmost importance. Validating her clients is also key to change. She believes that you have to build a therapeutic relationship in order for change to happen. Building rapport and gaining an understanding, as well as building trust, will allow for change to happen.
My journey to mental healthcare
Since I was a freshman in college, I have always known that I wanted to become a psychotherapist. I had changed my major from communications to psychology, and the rest is history. I spent my college career volunteering in several organizations, such as St. Jude's Children's Hospital and Special Olympics, and spent one summer deploying laptops to schools in Kenya through One Laptop Per Child. Helping others is fulfilling, and being able to provide therapy to clients is my calling in life. I have been through many of my own experiences in life, which have confirmed my calling in therapy. This includes grief and loss, divorce, blended families, and many other life experiences. I have my undergraduate degree in Psychology and a minor in sociology. I have my master's in social work. I am a licensed master of social work and a licensed clinical social worker.
My goals for you
Successful care and progress can be shown in various ways: decrease of symptoms, measurements through various assessments, seeing if the client has met their goals and if they are satisfied with sessions with the psychotherapist. Sophia completes assessments quarterly, such as a depression assessment called the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) and an anxiety assessment called the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7) for anxiety. For clients who have suicidal ideation, a risk assessment is completed. There are many assessments out there, and Sophia will administer these based on the client's symptoms and diagnoses.
My first session with you
On the first session with Sophia, she will review your initial paperwork, including your history, mental state, risk assessment, and treatment plan. She will also ask what brings you to therapy, your experience with therapy in the past, current psychiatric medications, and what your therapeutic goals are for therapy. Sophia will administer other assessments based on symptoms. In the second session, Sophia will go over your family history, family dynamics, current relationships, and attachment styles. Sophia wants the full picture when it comes to her clients in order to utilize the best therapeutic approach.