Meet Kelsey
Hi! I’ve wanted to be a counselor nearly all of my life. The first time I remember pursuing it academically I was 14. Counseling has always been a calling for me. Because I was drawn to the profession so young, I started working towards it with volunteer work and academic experiences that shaped who I am as a counselor today as early as high school.
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By the time I started my undergraduate work at Texas A&M University in psychology I had worked with people from birth to late adolescence in a variety of contexts and socioeconomic backgrounds including 2 years specifically in an early childhood program as a student teacher. This high school level program focused heavily on development of children 0-5 in our classroom time, and was designed to experientially teach us how to teach in several different schools. I student taught in preschools, toddler rooms, Kindergarten and 4th grade in Plano ISD which I continued outside of the classroom as a daycare teacher focused mainly in a toddler room for children 1.5-2.5.
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​​​​This led me to an undergraduate internship with adolescent moms in crisis, and gave me a passion for the family system that has only grown now that I am a parent. At the same time, I developed a deeper understanding of the importance of trauma and began to research concepts like adoption, foster care, human development, the brain, and women’s issues. I didn't give up on volunteering either, and eventually became the PK-2 coordinator at a local program for an underserved community in Bryan, TX.
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Even though I felt connected to counseling early, my journey has not always been a straight line. As long as I can remember I performed for the love in my life – through grades, in my family, at work, and even at helping others. I linked what I did for others as love. I worked to fit in while taking responsibility for those around me. In the process, I built a wall around my true self. It gave me something to blame, and a place to hide when I felt rejected. My distaste for vulnerability, boundaries, and my own emotions, made relationships slippery.​
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The process of unjunking my relationships took years, more relational damage, some severe anxiety, a couple of years in a corporate job, a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health at UNT, and Brene Brown’s work on shame to finally recognize how my tendency towards perfectionism and rescuing others was a way I kept people at arm’s length. I decided then to risk myself by being vulnerable with who I am and committing to do my own work to integrate all pieces of my journey – even my failures. ​​​​​By willingly going through my own process I have learned to be with people in their pain and in their struggle towards greater wellness.
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Theory of Practice
Not everyone needs or wants to know about the theory that I use in my practice, but I know there are some of you out there. This one is for you.
Here is the thing - prior to my graduate work I was only taught Cognitive Behavioral Theory through a Psychology lens - heavy on behavior. That still impacts me and my practice. However, I have come to believe it is not enough to know the tools to change. The truth is you probably already have plenty of tools or coping skills inside of you, but when things get hard you may lose the motivation to use them.
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I still incorporate homework and provide tools when necessary to maximize the work we do in session. I incorporate a variety of techniques in my therapy practice, but I do that through the lens of Developmental counseling and therapy (DCT) developed by Allen Ivey. Long story short I'm going to try to meet you where you are. For example, with kids I use play therapy techniques because using talk therapy doesn't meet them at their developmental stage. For my teens, we might talk, use expressive arts, or even games to process.
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DCT is ultimately a wellness approach. A wellness model focuses on facilitating personal growth in social, emotional, spiritual, environmental, occupational, intellectual, or physical ways that move us from one degree of wellness to the next.
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As humans, we are always growing and developing. We are constantly trying to integrate our personal challenges, joys, and achievements into a life story. This involves intentionally exploring our blind spots and addressing any developmental challenges we have had such as trauma. While I know this is not a comfortable experience I believe through the power of connection and vulnerability we have the ability to experience relief and freedom by addressing these challenges directly.
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DCT is influenced by family and environmental systems theories and human development. For me, this also incorporates an understanding of brain development. In counseling, we may explore thinking, feeling, behavior, and the patterns you see in your own life. I may challenge you at times or bring in what is going on in the moment.
In order to meet you at your current level of processing or challenge your level of processing, I may incorporate EMDR, expressive arts, play therapy techniques, activity therapy techniques, or sand tray techniques.