About Alicia

ncc
CCTP-II_Badge
ASDCS_Certification
ADHD_CCSDP_Badge

Hi! I’m Alicia and I’m a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Kansas and a Licensed Professional Counselor in Missouri. I’m a level 2 Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP-II), and I’m certified in treating autism and ADHD. I’m double board certified, having the NCC (National Certified Counselor) credential and the BC-TMH (Board-Certified Telemental Health) credential.

I’ve got a lot of interests when it comes to counseling, but I specialize in treating trauma, ADHD, and autism. The label “trauma” encompasses a lot of ground. Specifically, I focus on helping people with Dissociative Identity Disorder and PTSD.

My approach is gentle and nonconfrontational. For dissociative identity disorder, my approach is Trauma Informed Stabilization Treatment. For PTSD, I utilized Cognitive Processing Therapy. In both of these cases, there is no emphasis on you telling me details of your trauma. You may have heard that in order to heal from a trauma you must talk about all the details of it with a therapist. This is not true! This was believed to be true up until the 1990’s but we have since learned that the approach of having people relive their traumas in therapy can actually re-traumatize them. In some cases, a trauma memory may not resolve without processing it with a therapist, but this is done carefully and slowly so you are not traumatized again as you do the work. For ADHD and autism, I utilize CBT when helpful but my probably the main things I do are provide what is called psychoeducation (information about autism or ADHD and its effects). I will assist you in developing ways of helping yourself and also in developing some acceptance of and appreciation for your unique neurodivergent self.

With all clients, I like to work as partners, with you having the deciding veto on choices and decisions we make. Particularly when it comes to people who have experienced terrible trauma, they have often been treated as though they don’t matter, that what they think or feel or want doesn’t matter. In my office, your thoughts and feelings and opinions are of the utmost importance. When I can, I will give you choices such as “We can do this, this, or that” which I will discuss with you and then you will tell me what makes sense to you. You always have the right to say “no.” I understand that many of my clients do not trust easily, for very good reason, and that I have to earn that trust over time. Not only do I understand that, I respect the wisdom of it.

I am neurodivergent. In fact, my entire family is. I have ADHD. In my family, two of us have ADHD and two of us are on the autism spectrum. Being neurodivergent often brings with it some real challenges. While it is possible to find a neurotypical therapist who is educated about neurodivergent brains, I want you to know that with me you get someone who has both clinical experience and real-life experience as a neurodivergent person.

I am a proud ally to the LGBTQIA+ community. I have been an ally for many years, but it became personal when one of my children came out as transgender. I am so proud of her and her strength. I have seen the courage and strength it has taken to be herself in a society which doesn’t always understand or accept it. If you are a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I will respect and support you. And, this seems like a good place to mention that my pronouns are “she/her.”