Rubina Pina

I have experience working with those struggling with anxiety, depression, anger / impulse control, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance use disorders, and legal issues. I started working with those impacted by mental health struggles in 2018 leading psychoeducational groups and became a substance abuse counselor in 2021; throughout that time, I was in school and recently became a Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate. My philosophy is that knowledge is power; I want to help you understand more about yourself and help you alleviate any thinking patterns or behaviors keeping you from leading the life you want to live. I use person centered theory to help foster that therapeutic relationship needed to begin therapy and pull from a variety of others to best fit you. I use a lot of cognitive-behavioral therapy; this theory goes off the principle that what we think influences our feelings and behavior. Examining and exploring our thinking patterns holds great power.

I first knew I wanted to be a counselor when I was 17 years old and was personally impacted by a loss due to suicide; although, at that time, I wanted to be a grief counselor. This had a great impact on my life and I wished more than anything that I had the experience and tools to recognize the signs. That is when I decided I wanted to go into the counseling field and help others however I could. I want to be the person that can make a difference in someone’s life, to offer hope and support. We are a product of not only what we have learned from the people and experiences around us, but also how we interpret those encounters. Changing behavior means changing thinking patterns, which is the root of many of our issues. Something I learned from my own personal experiences with this is that.. Growth. Can. Be. UNCOMFORTABLE. It is so much easier to stay in the bubble of familiarity that we know but I want to (metaphorically, of course) hold your hand and support you through those feelings.