Hello

My name is Dawn and I have twenty years of experience working with all ages and populations serving as an outpatient and PHP clinician, clinical director and supervisor, intake coordinator, access manager, CARF Surveyor, coach, advocator, and leader. My passion to become a helper started when I was in therapy for the majority of my adolescent life and found it incredibly helpful. It is a part of what has formed my strong belief that family systems and our family history has a strong influence on who we are and how we act today. 

My motto is, "It's okay to NOT be okay" and I am not your typical counselor that you may see on TV, social media, and TikTok feeds. I am very transparent, blunt, open, and honest. I will not hesitate to get straight to the point. Some might call my bluntness a "weakness," but I value it as my greatest strength because I know what it is like to struggle and will waste zero time in helping you feel better. I believe that therapy is a journey and the key to success is trust.  Like any journey, there will be challenges, road bumps, fear, anger, tears, vulnerability, guilt, grief, defeat and yet at the same time - opportunities for new beginnings, growth success, safety, laughter, acceptance, happiness, excitement, and gratitude. In order for one to be vulnerable and succeed in this journey, it is important to trust that you have the right person on your side. I invite you read my bio and if you think we might be a good fit, I would be honored to help you along this journey.

Clinical Specializations and Therapeutic Areas

Therapy is a journey that requires absolute trust. While I work with individuals facing a broad range of mental health challenges, my core clinical specialties include:

1. Marriage, Couple & Family Counseling

Trained in an AAMFT-accredited program, I specialize in analyzing family histories and systems to understand how your past influences your relationships and actions today. I integrate evidence-based frameworks to help couples and families heal, including:

• Gottman Method & Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

• Bowen Family Systems & Minuchin Structural Family Therapy

• Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)

2. Complex Trauma & Adolescent Care

As a William Steele Certified Trauma Practitioner, I have dedicated over 16 years to helping children, adolescents, teens, and their families navigate the heavy aftermath of complex trauma and severe behavioral disruptions.

3. DBT for Borderline Personality & Emotion Dysregulation

I was trained by Carol Hartford at the renowned Ann Arbor DBT Center. I provide competent, model-adherent Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for individuals and families suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and chronic emotional dysregulation.

4. General Mental Health Support

I provide comprehensive clinical interventions for adults and youth managing:

• Anxiety, Depression, and Bipolar Disorder

• OCD, ADHD, and Autism Spectrum Disorders

• Eating Disorders, Body Image, and Low Self-Esteem

• Grief, Loss, Severe Anger, and Suicidal Ideation

I strive to continue learning the latest clinical interventions and am very interested in the learning about the integration of mental health counseling with psychedelics or ketamine for adults struggling with PTSD, C-PTSD, major depressive disorders, suicidal ideation, marital problems and anxiety.  

Education and Career

My path to becoming a helper started during my own adolescent years when personal therapy transformed my life. That spark grew into a two-decade career spanning both profit and non-profit clinical leadership.

• Master of Arts in Education (Marriage & Family Therapy / Clinical Counseling): The University of Akron (AAMFT Accredited)

• Bachelor of Applied Arts (Family Studies & Business Entrepreneurship): Central Michigan University

• Clinical Supervisor (Since 2006): Providing dedicated clinical supervision for LLPCs and LPCs across the State of Michigan.

• CARF Surveyor: Ensuring the highest industry standards and best practices are maintained for ultimate patient care.

Community Advocacy Highlights

• Michigan Legislative Advocacy (2019): Played an active role in passing House Bill 4325, a historic piece of legislation signed by Governor Whitmer that permanently protected the legal scope of practice for Michigan LPCs to diagnose and treat mental health conditions.

• Macomb County & Wayne County Continuum of Care (COC): Expanded partial hospitalization programs (PHP) across Macomb County, actively chaired the compliance committee on the Board of Directors to end homelessness, and served on the Wayne County Data and Analytics Committee.

• Director of Social Services: Managed seven grant-funded programs across 34 Michigan counties providing critical residential housing and care to unhoused veterans.

For You

Like any worthwhile journey, therapy brings road bumps: fear, vulnerability, tears, and grief. But it also unlocks massive opportunities for growth, safety, laughter, and new beginnings.

To take that next step, you need to know you have the right person on your side. If you value direct, honest, and highly experienced care, I would be honored to walk this path with you.