Female Therapists in Hammond, IN

I am a Licensed Social Worker with a passion for decreasing the stigma surrounding mental health and promoting the health and well being of my clients. For my undergraduate degree, I moved from Central Jersey (Yes! It exists!) to South Jersey to attend Stockton University. I received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Work with a Minor in Behavioral Neuroscience from Stockton, and then moved on to attend graduate school in Philadelphia. I received my Master of Social Work Degree with a clinical concentration from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice in May of 2020.

My ideal client would be someone who is committed to their healing journey and willing to reach their mental health and personal goals. My clients would be ones who may have anxiety, depression, substance use/abuse issues, and crises.

I appreciate someone with an open heart and a willingness to explore their inner self. I value individuals who are ready to engage and connect in meaningful conversations. I know it can be hard to take the first step for help, and look for someone who is committed to their own growth and willing to collaborate in their goals. Trust, honesty, and a desire to change create a supportive connecting environment where healing and transformation can take place.

Hello and welcome! I’m really glad you’re here. It can be a big step to reach out for help. So let me be the first to congratulate you on prioritizing your wellness! Life comes with experiences that provide opportunities to grow and find direction or purpose. The growing and finding direction part might be overwhelming occasionally, and that’s okay. I will support you in your journey towards discovering and creating the life you envision for yourself. Every one of us has a unique story, and sometimes we just need help to make sense of some of the chapters or write new ones. Trust me, I get it...I've been there a time or two!

My ideal client is someone who feels stuck concerning their relationships, emotions, work, finances, health, or purpose. They are looking for an identity outside of parent or worker. They are feeling depressed and hopeless lately. They are the type that is generally anxious, worried, or on edge. Their goal may be to change their life, but they are not sure how. They may have tried a ton of different self-help, spiritual, or healing modalities on their own but had moments where they have started to think it's never going to happen for them. They need to break free of nonproductive cycles and poor choices to change their lives.

My ideal client is anyone who genuinely wants help and genuinely wants to make a change. Their issues are immaterial.

As a therapist, I am most excited to see clients motivated to explore their unknown strengths, widen their horizons, increase their abilities to make informed decisions and lead a life of meaning as they define it. Everyone I have worked with brings to therapy a foundation upon which to grow. Regardless of the problem, an enhanced sense of self is possible. Instilling hope of something better in life is one of my greatest motivations, and assisting others in achieving their goals drew me to this profession.

My ideal client is someone who struggles with anxiety, depression, and or post-traumatic stress disorder. This person may need help processing previous traumatic events or navigating a current event. They may need help identifying coping skills and implementing mindfulness activities into their daily routine. This person may need assistance learning communication and emotional regulation skills. My ideal client is motivated to change and desires to grow as a person/couple/family.

My ideal client is someone who comes to therapy in a time of need. They might be experiencing anxiety due to life changes and transitions or they might be experiencing symptoms of anxiety for the first time and be concerned as to where the anxiety came from. The client might be processing loss or grief from a loved one or past friendships and or relationships. My ideal client will have needs such as needing to identify coping skills to get through life stressors, assistance with reaching goals. As a therapist I would be able to provide the client with a objective perspective to bounce their ideas and situations off of.

I have already counseled my ideal client. I worked with a client who came to me in her most significant time of need. She was ready to put in work and wanted to develop. She was diagnosed with Bipolar I and had several suicide attempts. She could externalize her mania and use fitness and wellness to push through her episodes. She is happy and healthy and uses her experiences to help others. My services involve psychotherapy using techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and motivational interviewing (MI), with a trauma-informed framework.

Some of my specialty areas are Anxiety, Depression, Trauma and PTSD, Self-esteem, OCD, Domestic Violence, and Child Emotional Neglect. Are you struggling with self-esteem, self-trust, shame, and guilt, which is why change does not occur? I provide psychoeducation to all clients to help them recognize why change is so difficult and understand how the mind works. An ideal client takes notes and follows through on exercises throughout the week. There are 160 hours in a week, and as a therapist, I only see you 1 hour a week, which means work outside of a therapy session is key to making positive changes in your life.

My ideal client would be vulnerable yet aware in the beginning. They would be open to learning about therapy options. They would also have many questions, including sharing their fears regarding therapy. My ideal client would also be prepared to complete homework assignments and truly engage in each session. During the therapeutic sessions, I would learn what each emotion looks like for my client and how it impacts their lives. My ideal client's growth is evident in each session that they participate in, and they never give up on them.

My ideal client would struggle with diagnoses such as anxiety, depression, or mood-related issues. This client would be self-motivated and have identified goals that are being held back or complicated by their mental health issues. The client would be able to identify areas that are strengths and weaknesses for themselves and would be willing to put forth the effort that is growth and change. Also, this client would be open to new and different suggestions for coping strategies or ways of thinking about difficulties they may experience in order to learn and grow.

I specialize in helping those with anxiety, depression, & relationship issues. Whether it is a relational, work, school, or family issue, talking about it with someone often aids in clarity and change. I want to help those individuals/families who are struggling to make sense of the chaos, look for understanding insight, and make those changes that will help them to start feeling more hopeful and excited about life again.

When in the midst of the storm; anxiety, relationship challenges, parenting struggles, perinatal mental health, or medical concerns, connecting with a counselor could be the tool that you need to find hope and skills to get through it. My passion is to get to know you, your thoughts and stress in order to partner with you so you are not alone and establish coping skills, goals and work toward what you long for.

Missing joy and passion from your life? Living your life intentionally so that you have time for the things that matter to you is not easy. Far too often, our efforts fall short and our issues don’t go away. We end up busy, tired, overwhelmed, and stressed out. We feel suffocated and caged by life, without the freedom, time, and ability to think clearly. Taking charge of your mental health is the first step towards the freedom we all desire.

Dr. Ann LaFrance, PsyD, HSPP graduated from California School of Professional Psychology, Alliant International University, Sacramento, California, where she trained in the practitioner-scholar model. In addition to her PsyD, she holds a BS in Education from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and two Master's Degrees (Guidance and Counseling, and Psychology.) While Dr. LaFrance has provided "cradle-to-grave" psychological services since the 1980's, her primary areas of interest and practice are existential/spiritual and end-of-life issues, and teen and adult trauma survivors: sexual assault, domestic violence, and veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces

I am a licensed master's level therapist holding a M.S. in Human Development and Family Studies with a concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy from Purdue University NW. I have experience working with individuals, families, teens, and couples. Some of my areas of expertise include relationship concerns, communication difficulties, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, grief and loss, self-esteem issues, parenting skills and concerns, children's behavioral issues, difficult life transitions, and infidelity.

I believe that all individuals possess the ability to bring about the change they desire. Together, through therapeutic exploration, we will explore new and productive ways to help you develop coping and communication skills to attain your life goals.