Lashaun Dumas,Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Hi, my name is La Shaun Dumas, I am a licensed clinical social worker. My approach to therapy includes implementing active listening skills and providing positive regard in an effort to establish a rapport that will may allow for genuine information sharing. Areas of focus include, trauma-informed engaging, childhood developmental stages awareness, competencies regarding LGBTQ+, dating violenceabuse, anxiety disorders, mindfulness, and emotional wellness. My approach to therapy allows the client to understand that they possess the cognitive ability to make desired changes regarding their lives by implementing such approaches as reality-based techniques, motivational interviewing, solution-focused, cognitive behavioral and behavioral modification therapy,

I typically engage clients from low, moderate, and high social economic backgrounds, those who have been strongly recommended to engage in therapy via, child welfare systems, restorative justice programs, conditions of maintaining employment, those who may be adjusting to a life change, also, those who have minimal to significant levels of readiness to change. I am comfortable treating clients that may be experiencing griefloss, anxiety, lack of boundary setting, and bipolar, anxiety, as well as those requiring motivation to take the next steps. I make attempts to present a welcoming, non-judgmental, and inquisitive tone, free of background distractionsnoises, with the intention for clients to feel that they are in a safe space to purge emotions, process feelings and work on issues that caused them to present for the service.

I have seemingly always been the individual called upon by family members, friends, and other social settings to be a listening ear or sounding board. Therefore, being able to assist, motivate and encourage others that they have just what is necessary within them, to work towards accomplishing goals, such as, forgiving themselvesothers, processing issues of griefloss, managing competing demands, adjusting to life situations, reducing stress, etc., continues to motivate me to perform this work. I approach goal setting by reminding clients of their desired outcomes, encouraging them to participate in the process of establishing their goals, as well as, helping them to understand that goals can be accomplished incrementally.

During initial sessions, clients are congratulated for taking steps to address concerns relative to their lives, warm up conversations are initiated, they are asked how they are doing at this particular time, asked for background information, such as demographics, employment, schooling, interests, hobbies, what are expectations relative to participation in service and ascertain actual symptoms that are being experienced will be asked.