Specialty/Interest Areas:
- Health & Wellness
- Anxiety
- Mood Disorders
- Grief and Loss
- Christian Counseling
- Life Coaching
- Positive Parenting Certified
- Smoking Cessation Certified
- Trauma Trainer
- Cultural & Diversity Issues
- Woman’s Issues
- Self Esteem/ Assertiveness Training
Lavita is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 15 years of clinical experience working with individuals, families, couples and the BIPOC community sharing her knowledge on mental health and wellness. Lavita’s personal mission is to live out her purpose of brining mental health awareness and wellness into the lives of others through kindness, compassion, and empathy. As a trained psychotherapist she believes that therapy should be holistic, encompassing all aspects of her clients. Through Psychoanalysis, Cognitive Behavioral Theory, Mindfulness & other modalities she helps Clients navigate the stressors and anxieties of daily living.
Lavita’s approach to therapy is through a trauma informed lens, acknowledging that everyone at some point in their lives has experienced trauma, no matter how small, and therefore this has shaped who they are as a person. Working from this lens allows her to meet each person where they are and respect their unique differences and challenges.
When Lavita is not in sessions you can find her dancing with abandon.
I did not choose psychotherapy, it chose me. When I came into the field of social work it was to help people problem solve and provide advocacy and support to disenfranchised populations in alignment with my Jane Adam core values. However, as an Empath, I realized people felt comfortable confiding in me because of my ability to hold space and walk alongside them. So with the opportunity to become licensed and work as a Psychotherapist doing what I had already been doing, I looked at it as an opportunity to reach more people with my services. This is one of my life’s purposes.
1. What attracted you to being a psychotherapist?
I approach my clients with humility. I am a firm believer in respecting people’s journey as we do not know how far they have come and what it took for them to get to where they are. The journey is a place of healing, learning and growth so I always acknowledge the strength and courage it takes for my clients to show up and be present for themselves. I take a Client Centered approach. I have no expectations when I am in therapy only to be fully open and present. I want my clients to feel relaxed and trust the process. I approach each Client with unconditional positive regard and address whatever challenges they may present with an individualized approach.
2. How would you describe your approach with your clients?
“Without mental health there can be no true physical health.”
–Dr Brock Chisholm, the first Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO)
This encompasses my belief that you cannot compartmentalize humans because we are physical and mental beings. During the rapport building phase of treatment, I complete a biopsychosocial assessment so I can have a complete understanding of what is happening with my clients. This integrated approach also allows me to work in tandem with their other providers so that my clients receive wraparound services.
3. What's your favorite quote about mental health?
What surprises me the most is how much things change over time. Usually when clients present in front of me, they are in crisis and have come to therapy as the last resource. However, with time and commitment to doing the work I have the pleasure of witnessing my clients evolve: new jobs, healthier relationships, more children and radical self-acceptance. This is the most rewarding aspect of being a psychotherapist.
4. What has surprised you the most about being a psychotherapist?
