Kellen
HEY THERE, I'M
As a former teacher with thirteen years of experience, I value connecting with students and communities I work alongside. During my time in the classroom, I strived to use fun, creative ways of engaging and challenging my students to help them grow as an individual and realize
their potential.
Underlying all of this however is the essential first step of working to meet and improve the mental health of children and adolescents. Teaching skills such as conflict resolution, self-reflection, and emotional regulation, while also nurturing positive socialization, confidence, willpower, motivation, resilience, and a growth mindset are all foundational needs children require for success.
In 2024, I decided to turn my attention solely toward addressing this need through therapy. I believe that we are living at a moment in time that poses a great risk to our children’s mental health. This moment however also presents an opportunity for parents and children to foster
their ability to navigate the many twists and turns that life can throw at us.
Evaluating our thoughts and behaviors, building authentic connection, application of healthy strategies, parental involvement, and fostering introspection and growth are fundamental principles to my work in therapy.
Through the use of CBT, art, motivational interviewing, and
behavior/environment modification I hope to create an engaging and meaningful therapeutic experience that will help equip clients with the tools needed for personal growth.
I offer a laid back and welcoming atmosphere for clients. I want therapy to be an engaging, safe, and comfortable experience that encourages and cultivates positive change and self-discovery.
In my free time I enjoy being a dad, reading a good book, and making art. The use of art in my own life has taught me patience, cultivated a growth mindset, and serves as a meditative and empowering experience.
Being a dad has done that too, though, maybe not so meditative.
Why Me?
My primary focus is working with children, adolescents, and young adults, however I provide individualized therapy to ages 7-30.
Utilizing therapy at an early age will help individuals to
develop healthy habits, build autonomy and confidence, and navigate the many challenges unique to this age group at a critical time in their development. Using the client’s values, strengths, and interests as a foundation to build on, I work to develop the necessary tools that will allow clients to work through challenges and actualize their potential.
Therapy should be engaging. Through the use of art-based activities, clients can tap into and explore their creative side while also processing their thoughts and developing useful skills.
Art, in all of its forms, is a healthy coping strategy that provides an alternate avenue of expression for the client. It can be a meditative experience that helps with emotional processing and
self-discovery - and also it’s just fun!
For many of us, electronic screens are becoming more and more integrated into our everyday lives. Research has shown screentime to be correlated with adverse mental health effects such as social isolation, depression, anxiety, addictive behavior, and difficulty focusing, as well as
negatively impacting sleep, physical health, and academic performance.
These negative effects are more pronounced and hazardous among the youth. It is vital for therapists to use a multi-faceted approach that takes this relationship into account and works to strike a healthier
balance with how we interact with technology and connect with others.
