Alaina's Therapeutic Approach

Populations: Teens 15+, Adults 18+, LGBTQIA+

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Specialties:  Anxiety, depression, LGBTQIA+ issues, Bipolar Disorder, Phobias, Chronic Illness, Medical Trauma

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​Welcome to my little corner of Resonate Counseling Services! Do you ever feel a lack of control over your own self? Frustrated by feeling stuck in a cycle that you have tried or wanted to break, but with limited success? Do intense emotions or anxiety cause you physical pain, and make it difficult to survive and navigate daily life? Does taking control over your life feel like a dauntless or impossible task? Does trauma hold a part of you hostage in the past? If any of these sound like you, I may be a good fit for you as a therapist. My goal is to help you gain more control over the seemingly uncontrollable.

As a clinician, I love being able to offer support to members of the LGBTQIA+ community that are struggling with mental health issues.  For example, on the news, you may see heated debates asking if you are real, if you deserve rights, or if you are a predator. Maybe you live among threats—“loved ones” who would waste no time disowning you or worse if they found out your truth. Even those in your life who are more supportive may not fully understand you, dismissing your identity as a phase or trying to change you. You just want to be in love, and/or you just want to love yourself, but according to some, that is a privilege only for cis/het people. 

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If any of this resonates with you, please know—you are not alone, and you are not wrong for being who you are. In therapy, you deserve a space where you can be fully seen, accepted, and supported without judgment. Whether you’re navigating identity, struggling with anxiety, facing family or societal pressures, or just trying to find peace within yourself, I’m here to help. My approach is affirming, compassionate, and centered on helping you build self-acceptance and live authentically. If you're ready to take that step toward healing and self-love, I invite you to reach out. You deserve support, and you deserve to thrive.

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I also love to offer support to clients living with different types of anxiety (social, generalized, phobias etc.) Living with phobias and anxiety is like having your own worst enemy living inside your head. The world around you melts away, replaced by your worst fears, trapping you in a personal hell. When you try to explain it to others, they can’t see what you see. Sometimes, they even try to convince you that what you feel isn’t real—though to you, it absolutely is. It’s infuriating because you’re aware, on some level, that this fear exists only within you, but knowing that isn’t enough to escape it. Slowly, anxiety takes more and more from you, making it harder to engage in life and maintain relationships. Others don’t understand why you avoid them or why certain things feel impossible.

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But you don’t have to stay stuck in this cycle. With the right support, you can learn how to step out of anxiety’s grip and reclaim the parts of life it has taken from you. Using evidence-based approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), I help clients untangle the fears that keep them trapped, develop new ways of responding to anxiety, and build a life driven by values rather than fear. If you’re ready to take that first step toward healing, I invite you to reach out. You don’t have to face this alone.

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​Generally speaking, I use a combination of techniques to tailor an approach best suited to your needs. Some of these techniques include “rewiring/ rewriting” the critical or panicked personal dialogue in your mind, using mindfulness to help ground the mind in a calmer reality, and tools to navigate and control an emotional crisis.​​

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I am a therapist with lived experience not only with mental illness, but as a client in therapy. In the past, I have been the one receiving therapy, and I bring these experiences into the therapy room. I incorporate my knowledge of what I liked about therapy, what I found challenging/discouraging and what was most helpful to help me connect better with my clients in my work with them. Please feel free to reach out by phone at the number listed below or feel free to complete a contact form.   Let's work together to build a healthier, more fulfilling life.  

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REACH OUT TO ALAINA BY PHONE: 443-212-8274

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