There are times in our lives where the challenges we face can be overwhelming—we may feel despair or hopelessness, or may discover unmanageable behaviors or emotions. Sometimes these challenges have existed for a long time, however the decision to seek help has been a hard one to choose. To those reading this, I want to validate the courage it takes to consider facing our challenges; it takes incredible bravery and demonstrates humility to allow someone to join the journey. I consider it a great privilege to be included as a journeying partner, and I take much joy in seeing individuals grow in wellness in all areas of their life. It is my goal to help individuals return from unmanageable to manageable, from despairing to hopeful, and from overwhelmed to peace-filled.
I hold a Masters degree in Social Work (MSW), and am registered as an Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW). I am also a Christian and comfortable integrating faith in session by request. My experience includes working with adults struggling with a variety of symptoms such as addiction, depression, anxiety, hallucinations/delusions, boundary setting, suicidal thinking, domestic violence, trauma, isolation behaviors, shame, grief, and many other areas. I am taking new clients for individual counseling or couples counseling.
Experience
For the last 3.5 years, I worked at an addiction treatment center. Three of those years, I spent in a management role overseeing counseling staff as a Supervising Counselor. Previous to counseling I worked in a Christian non-profit organizations for around 5 years, caring for children between the ages of 5 to 14. While completing my MSW I worked with the aging/geriatric population at an ADHC (Adult Day Health Care Center), helping individuals suffering from memory loss, and veterans struggling with PTSD and other disorders. I also interned at a Junior High school diagnosing mental health challenges and treating students. I have led various groups for those struggling with addiction and other topics.
Therapeutic Focus
My approach to healing starts from a holistic standpoint. I believe the impact of biological, psychological, social, and spiritual areas interrelate and contribute to changes in mood, thought, and behavior. My goal is to assist clients in identifying and treating trauma, depression and anxiety through specialized training in Brainspotting, an effective evidence based treatment for trauma. I am experienced in leading people through addiction/compulsion issues, and am especially passionate and effective with individuals currently feeling “stuck”. I use approaches from different theoretical frameworks with a focus on thought management, mindfulness/grounding (ie “being still”), active processing, education, and emotion regulation skill building.
Schedule an Appointment with Tom.
Call our office: (530) 410-0505
Email: info@chicocreekcounseling.com
Tom works as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (CA# LCSW90334).
