Sydnee Walker

I am particularly passionate about providing counseling to individuals seeking to work through young adulthood and related transitions including navigating independence and connection or support with family; build self-esteem and address the cause of negative self-perception, feelings of worthlessness or inadequacy; navigate conflict, boundaries, attachment, enmeshment, communication challenges and more in relationships with family, peers/colleagues and romantic partners; and manage symptoms related to depression, trauma, ADHD, OCD and anxiety. Additionally, I/m passionate about working with adolescents and emerging adults who may struggle with identity development, emotional regulation, and feeling misunderstood in their relationships or environments. I work with clients to process their experiences with self-compassion as they explore and deepen understanding of how their experiences and relationships might cause, exacerbate or maintain depression, anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, OCD tendencies, substance use and other mental health disorders. With gentleness, I also challenge my clients as we work toward reducing the patterns that cause them distress.

 

I  am trained to use theoretical approaches including evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy,  trauma focused, solution-focused therapy and person-centered therapy and more. My approach is practical and methodical meaning while attending to emotional, behavior and thought patterns, we collaboratively focus on practical solutions which we measure through the administration of evidence based assessments.

 

Using a culture, identity and trauma-informed lens, I engage in clinically focused conversation aimed at guiding clients toward awareness of strengths and challenges, insight into the impact experiences and relationships have had on them, attunement of emotions and sensations that are uncomfortable, action toward, understanding and acceptance of the self. My clients are adults who live with anxiety, loss, rumination and intrusive thoughts, life transitions, career transitions, identity, role conflicts in relationships, discrimination. separation from home and loved ones, trauma, loss, difficulty concentrating, lows that affect functioning, productivity, relationships and low self-worth. In sessions, we might use interventions such as tapping, breathing, empty chair, thought stopping, highlighting available choices, and/or examining negative thoughts in a structured format. In all, clients gain a healthier connection to themselves, others, emotions and their feelings and actions; improve distress tolerance; enhance effective communication; are more aware of the choices available to them and understand how their past and present or future may be intertwined. Throughout therapy, I communicate, process and implement their selected interventions at their own pace.

 

My priority is to listen first and provide support second. My clients experience me as someone who realistically instills hope and is consistently authentic, attentive, supportive, aware, holistic and understanding.

 

My education and training in Clinical Mental Health Counseling through Regent University provides supervision and hands on training to administer assessments, select a clinical diagnosis, engage clients in treatment planning and collaborate with clients to explore, understand and implement coping strategies to help manage or eliminate mental health disorders and psychological stress.