Hello. I’m Vanessa. I am educated and trained as a Mental Health Counselor through St. John Fisher College and I have a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Alfred University. As an intern, I worked in a private practice with adults involved in criminal misconduct and that led me to working with children/youth and their families as a drug prevention counselor through Delphi Rise. In addition to working part-time at In Truth MHC, I also work as a Primary Therapist at an outpatient mental health clinic in the city of Rochester with adults who struggle with a wide range of mental health issues. I have also lead support groups and speaking engagements. I believe strongly that therapists should continuously work to strengthen competency in working with diverse populations and I work hard to do that myself.

I have much experience helping people work through anxiety, grief and loss, depression, and navigating life changes and adjustments. Although we do not provide chemical dependency treatment at In Truth Mental Health Counseling, I can provide support and guidance to friends and family members of people with addiction. I can also provide mental health treatment to individuals who are currently struggling with addiction. I love when I get to witness clients gain insight about their readiness to change and work through the various stages of change.

I am humanistic in my work as a therapist. I believe in the resilience of the human spirit, and I value the importance of building a good rapport with my clients. I embrace a strength-based lens in my work which means that I focus on what my clients do well rather than what is wrong or “disordered.” I’m also passionate about collaborating with my clients and working with them as a team. I want to meet my clients where they are without pushing them to do something they don’t feel is right for them to do. That does not mean that I will not challenge my clients if needed; I will but I’ll be thoughtful to be sure that I am working to understand them before I do so.

My overall goals are to help you to become more self-aware, to better understand, and navigate your past, present and future, allowing you to feel empowered and hopeful despite life’s hardships. I also hope to support you in finding purpose and your truth as you heal.

Some fun facts about me: I’m born and raised in Brooklyn, so I’d say I’m very down to earth. In my free time, I enjoy being outdoors, taking hikes, taking trips, and doing photography. I love animals with 4 legs and hate animals that are creepy and crawly. I talk to my dogs like they are humans whether they talk back to me or not; it’s not up for discussion.