Denise earned an MS Ed in Community Counseling from Eastern Illinois University and a Masters in Social Work from The University of Stony Brook. Her extensive career has centered in both clinical and educational settings. She has experience working with anxiety, depression, loss, grief, parenting, trauma, women’s issues, family dynamics, developmental delays, child development and major life transitions. She has also worked with families in the Early Intervention System, CPSE and CSE system.

Denise prioritizes creating a safe, supportive and comfortable space and rapport  with her clients. She utilizes a strength perspective, a whole person perspective, and a trauma informed  framework. When working with clients, she uses a combination of reflective, affirming, educational, skill building/ solution focused , mindfulness approaches based in CBT, and systems theory. She looks at the impact of relationships with both  people and with the environments we live and work within. 

Denise works to help clients express themselves, share their  story , make connections, identify strengths and needs, and to achieve  a deeper understanding of  their own thoughts, emotions, actions and experiences. She offers compassion and empowerment to inspire healing and self reflection, support  to begin new and healthy behavior changes, and compassion to validate her clients courageous steps toward  stronger  emotional health and well being.

Supervised By Sharon E. Prager, MA, LCSWR, BCD