About
Hi, I'm Des! I'm a social worker and suicidologist, and a queer, white, cisgender single parent. My practice is trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and person-centered. Using an eclectic approach, mainly rooted in relational and attachment-based work, alongside some CBT techniques and DBT skills training, I work with teens and adults experiencing suicidal ideation & self-injury, grief/traumatic loss, ADHD, depression, anxiety, mood & personality disorders, queer and gender issues, fertility challenges (especially for those who are visibly queer), queer family-building, and pregnancy loss—many of which I have personal experience with. It’s important to me to be transparent about my positionality, in terms of my identity and lived experiences, as well as being someone who seeks mental health services, myself—I know what it's like to be in the therapy chair and sitting across from it. To that end, I come to my work as a partner and a support, rather than an expert. I approach my work through a relational lens—I am a person, and I will be a person with you in the therapy room. I show up to my practice and hold space with authenticity, humor, compassion, and empathy. Before becoming a social worker, I had careers in photography and suicide prevention. I live with my children, dog (Dolly Parton), and cat (Betty White).
Features
| Qualifications: | Temple University |
|---|---|
| Academic Suffixes: | LCSW, MSW, BS |
| Expertise: | ADHD, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, Body Positivity, Borderline Personality, Depression, Divorce, Grief, Infertility, Open Relationships Non-Monogamy, Pregnancy, Prenatal, Postpartum, Relationship Issues, School Issues, Self-Harming, Sex-Positive, Kink Allied, Suicidal Ideation, Transgender, Trauma and PTSD, Women |
Location
Contacts
- Click to Call