Deanna Hudgins

I applaud you for prioritizing your wellbeing and insight at this time! Like many, I chose to shift careers later in life - call it a "third act" - to a professional path in mental health. As a result, I've found that my previous careers in both the arts and physical fitness have cultivated my personal approach to therapy - one that emphasizes collaboration, empowerment, and unconditional regard for each client's unique perspective and concerns. My approach --- I am trained extensively in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and strive to blend this and other evidence-based practices with creativity, openness, and respect for each person's experience. I am grateful to walk alongside clients as a co-navigator and co-learner, and I delight in the synergy and alchemy that can result from meaningful and intentional work, both in and outside of sessions. My focus --- Often, we know what we want out of life, but we find that things can get in the way - including "big" emotions, impulses, unhelpful thoughts, and behaviors that result. My focus in sessions is to create a welcoming and nonjudgmental space, where we can establish the elements of our own "life worth living" as well as a structured, skills-based approach for both accepting exactly where we are AND working towards sustainable and effective change. My communication style --- During our sessions, you can expect a direct, open-minded, and curious approach. I strive to meet clients exactly where they are, with warmth and a nonjudgmental stance.