About Carmen

My personal journey with counseling began five years ago after ending a challenging long-term relationship. During this time, I realized that my ability to show up, set boundaries, and feel comfortable in relationships was very limited. Over the years of working on myself, I recognized that my guarded nature was closely tied to the lack of stability I experienced while growing up in foster care, as well as the unresolved grief I carried with me from losing my mother at a young age. When I allowed myself to sit with these feelings of grief, loss, and a lack of safety, it actually made a lot of sense that connecting with other people would be hard for me to do and that my protective strategies of keeping people at a distance would be at the forefront for me in intimate relationships.​

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The most significant healing for me revolved around gaining self-awareness and allowing myself to be vulnerable in connection with others in a safe, caring, and understanding environment. Opening up in such a supportive space allowed me to experience something new in relationships: a sense of security and emotional support. Although it felt uncomfortable at first, over time, I slowly gained confidence in my ability to let people in and to reveal my true self with less fear of being too much or not enough. I realized that my value did not come from constantly accommodating other people's needs at the expense of my own; it came from standing up for myself and my needs, and being okay with the fact that not everyone would like that or be able to meet me where I needed them to be.

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I feel grateful for investing in myself to heal and grow in some really tough places because it has given me the freedom to be myself. I can now make more conscious decisions about how I want to show up in the world and in my relationship with myself, and others, from a place of self-love and self-appreciation instead of just from a place of hurt. This is why I find therapy to be so important, as it really just allows people to return to themselves and facilitate their growth into who they truly want to be. This is why I value being part of the creation of a safe and open space where you can be yourself and feel comfortable being whatever you need to be in the moment without judgment. I really am so happy to see you here. Investing in yourself and your own well-being is truly the biggest gift you could ever give yourself and the people you love around you.