“Supporting people and problem solving is rewarding to me, and therapy allows me to combine the two. My role in helping clients navigate life’s challenges is working together to get to the root of the problem and finding any missing pieces so the whole picture makes more sense. Then we can figure out how to manage or solve the problem. This involves processing past experiences, understanding current challenges and identifying skills that will help. We will work together to sort out all the puzzle pieces until they fit together, allowing us to see the big picture. Only then can we understand what is needed to create lasting change. I meet people where they are along their journey, even if they feel lost and don’t quite know where they are.”
Belen believes in creating a safe space for listening, validation, collaborative problem solving and goal setting with humor and compassion threaded throughout. You can expect therapy to be about understanding how you got to where you are as well as focusing on how to make things better going forward.
Belen takes an integrative approach that uses supportive therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) interventions along with a focus on relationships and how they impact and shape us. She focuses on helping clients set achievable goals, lay out a plan, and develop skills to reach those goals. She tailors each treatment plan to meet the unique needs of every person.
Belen is a fully licensed professional counselor at Pine Rest. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism and advertising at Central Michigan University, where she always found herself most interested in the psychological aspects of those fields. She went on to earn her master’s degree in counseling, with both community and school specializations, at Oakland University.
