Dialectical Behavior (DBT) Therapists in Pittsburgh, PA

Are you struggling in your life and want to make changes? Are you feeling sad, anxious, or worried? Are you experiencing a lack of enjoyment in what you used to enjoy or low energy? The process of seeking a therapist can feel daunting, but I’m here to help! I offer a safe, nonjudgmental environment for clients to share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

I am taking new clients as of July 2024. I have partnered with a colleague, Frank Bienkowski to create a new practice, True to You Counseling and Coaching. Over my 20+ years in the field of mental health I’ve come to believe most people are seeking to understand their place and purpose in this challenging world. Navigating things like relationships, finances, careers, family, and trying to make the right choices all while having many unexpected events thrown in can be destabilizing. When you feel lost and have more questions than answers, I am here to help you sort through the overwhelm.

The foundation of a therapeutic relationship depends on empathy and connection. I work to establish a supportive, non-judgemental space for individuals to focus on growth and healing. My practice emphasizes collaboration, recognizing the client as the expert of their own experience. Although I’ve worked with a variety of people, I enjoy working with women navigating changes across the lifespan, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and those experiencing concerns surrounding anxiety and depression, trauma, stress, and grief and loss. I support clients in building on their current strengths and means of coping.

Reach out if you have experienced a loss or difficult transition, if you are struggling to set boundaries or express your needs, if you are struggling with difficult emotions, or if you just aren’t feeling like yourself. Our goal is to support you in exploring your experiences, releasing things you may have been carrying, setting goals you want to achieve, and identifying patterns and beliefs creating barriers.

Our Counseling and Psychiatric team in Pittsburgh, Wexford, Monroeville, Greensburg, South Hills, Cranberry, and Online, specializes in providing compassionate mental health services for you, your marriage, and family. If you're grappling with anxiety, anger, depression, trauma, ADHD, PTSD, relationship conflicts, communication challenges, or more, we recognize how these issues can impact your desired life. Our counseling team, complemented by telepsychiatry and medication management services, provides evidence-based therapy solutions for you. With personalized treatment plans, our goal is to fast-track your journey to wellness.

Are you having feelings of loneliness, depression, anxiety, you can't seem to get your life back on track or feel stuck and old ways are not helping? I empower people with the confidence they need to make the changes necessary to grow and feel better about themselves and their lives. Together we work on what fits best with your comfortability and at your pace. Making changes and the therapy setting can sometimes be overwhelming, but deciding to take that first step towards change shows initiative and determination to do so.

Are you feeling the weight of stress, depression, or anxiety? I'm here to help. I understand that you may be seeking support to cope with the daily struggles of life. You're looking for someone who can provide guidance and practical solutions, someone who truly comprehends the challenges you face. Your goal is clear - to lead a happier, more fulfilling life. Let's work together to make that a reality.

With the many professionals available, why work with me? First, you will find unconditional acceptance. I do not have preconceived notions of who you should, or who I need you to be. Instead, I will support you on your journey to discover who you want and deserve to be. I have experience working in both addiction recovery (chemical and food) and mental/spiritual health (trauma, depression, anxiety) so treat you as a whole person, not a diagnosis. Finally, I chose to leave another career and pursue psychotherapy so that I could do what I believe I was meant to do.

I work with adults who have a history of childhood trauma and are looking for more than talk therapy. I help clients with insecure attachment styles develop healthy and secure relationships. I help clients set boundaries and raise their self confidence. I help people heal abandonment wounds and learn to control their emotions. I help clients change the negative beliefs about themselves that are interfering with them being who they want to be. I empower clients by teaching mindfulness and breath work to help them self sooth.

There are many reasons clients decide to work with a therapist. Developing healthy life habits, working on overcoming challenges, exploring patterns and behaviors, expanding communication skills are some preferred goals. An ideal client has both curiosity and the courage to gain perspective and insight into how they relate to themselves and others. I work with children, teens, and adults and welcome the opportunity to explore life’s challenges alongside you. I recognize the courage it takes to explore history and patterns, and it is my goal to create a space of hope and connection within the therapeutic relationship.

I believe that one of the bravest things that you can do is to understand your own story. You are the expert on yourself, and I would like to work collaboratively with you to understand and identify connections within your story. My therapeutic orientation is client-centered, strength-based, holistic, and eclectic. I tailor my approach to you and your wants and/or needs. I believe that the therapeutic relationship is the foundation of growth and healing. I strive to develop an open, safe, and trusting therapeutic relationship.

At times in our lives, sex and intimacy may not be a top priority. You might have a hard time expressing your desires, or knowing what those desires are in the first place! Does that resonate with you? If you’re in a relationship rut or you’ve simply never learned that sex is for YOUR pleasure, you might be feeling disconnected from your body. The root of these challenges is that sex is a skill, and society doesn’t teach us to hone in on our sexy, sensual side for our own benefit. When we struggle with sex or intimacy, we tend to go on struggling until it becomes overwhelming and we can’t avoid it any longer. Now, it’s time to grow.

───── Currently Accepting Individuals for Wait list ───── "If we knew each other's secrets what comforts we should find." We are designed for connection, but in we can often find ourselves disconnected from others, and ourselves. Working together we will identify where you are, where you want to be, and what has gotten in the way of the life you want and deserve. We will work together to develop the skills and insight that can help you find and lean into the joy of life amidst the struggles.

I work best with individuals and couples who wish to address and explore issues related to emotion regulation, conflict and distress, personality difficulties and communication. In my practice, I have seen depressed and bipolar adults and people with personality issues or disorders for over 15 years.

Accepting new clients! Most days, you feel like you don't have anyone on your side, and often struggle with trust. In order to be able to dive into your list of "things" and really open up, finally, you know you'll need to feel truly accepted and respected. You are starting to drown in the anxiety, stress, conflict, and depression that is swirling around you, and it's just... time. You're mostly open to the idea of therapy, but you need a balance of processing AND skills that you can apply in your day-to-day life. Sometimes, even thinking about the process of looking for a therapist is enough to exhaust you and then paralyze you.

Working with us you'll get results. Because we believe you're best served by a clinician who's passionate about not only their work, but who they work with as well. That's why we started Lifebulb - We're committed to building an organization that truly allows therapists to get back to enjoying their work, so you, our client, can receive the highest quality therapy services, whether in person at one of our locations or online through telehealth. We hire only highly trained and educated, licensed clinicians dedicated to the therapy process. We're confident we can help you achieve your therapy goals.

Being an adult is hard, especially for women. Having to make difficult decisions about your career, relationships, future, process things about your past, or set boundaries with those around you -- can feel seemingly impossible. Balancing a career, household, and/or a relationship can be taxing, anxiety provoking, draining, and leave you feeling completely depleted. But these aren't impossible things to tackle, and there is hope for a better, more peaceful, balanced you. You are only one step away from beginning a journey to better take care of yourself. And it starts here.

When you find yourself or your family in a time of crisis or high-conflict, extra support and understanding from a therapist can be a great place to start. Your attachment style and/or trauma can have a major impact on the relationships you have with yourself, your family, your friends, and your children. Trauma can have long-reaching effects that can be hard to recognize. It can be difficult to know where to start. When you can understand the “why,” of your thoughts and feelings, it can become the starting point for the change you want to see in your life.

Do you need support in stress management, life transitions, trauma, depression/anxiety, developing effective coping strategies, etc? Do you want to feel more "free" emotionally, mentally, & physically, wanting to improve your life for yourself and possible future relationships/children/family? My ideal client is motivated to engage in treatment and reach their goals of becoming more psychologically flexible and strengthening their connections with themselves and those meaningful relationships around them.