Kellyn Swanson (she/her)

Relationships are a foundational building block in our lives. When our relationships with those around us are ridden with conflict, mistrust, jealousy, insecurities, etc. It makes connecting with people very challenging. I worked on a research study in graduate school about attachment theory with expecting mothers and unborn babies. This expanded my understanding of relationships and how even from the very beginning of life, our connections with people are very important to our functioning.

As someone who has struggled with depression since my teenage years, I understand the complexities and difficulties life with depression brings. Throughout my years in therapy, I have learned about where my depression stems from, what triggers my symptoms, and adaptive ways to cope. I've learned to manage my symptoms to the point where my depression is no longer all-consuming or the main area of focus in my life. I can help you achieve this clarity and success over your depression symptoms too.

My anxiety increased significantly during the pandemic in 2020. As a mental health worker during the pandemic, I felt helpless and uncertain about many things in my own life. As challenging as it was, this helped me connect with my clients, who were experiencing a lot of the same things. I have taken many continuing education courses related to anxiety and feel confident in my abilities to provide psycho-education, support, and treatment options to others who struggle with anxiety.

The main tenets of my therapeutic practice are active listening, a non-judgmental stance, empathetic understanding, and unconditional positive regard. These values of mine stem from the person-centered therapy approach. It is the belief that each client has the capacity for growth and self-actualization. Clients lead sessions with their strengths to achieve the goals they set for themselves.

I spent three years working for a community mental health organization that sent me to a '5 day jump-start' training for DBT. I occasionally co-lead a DBT skills group and had several DBT clients where we would work together to identify target behaviors they wanted to change. I would teach effective coping skills for relationships, regulating emotions, tolerating distressing situations, and being mindful in daily life. I still employ a lot of these skills with the majority of my clients.

CBT has been found useful for a multitude of mental health symptoms. I believe that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors all influence our well-being and quality of life. When we can identify problematic thoughts, which impact how we feel, which then influence our actions and behaviors, we can begin to change how we act. I like to tackle large goals in small parts, which CBT is great for. Discerning the differences among thoughts and feelings are integral in having a healthier outlook on life.