Advanced Awareness Counseling
Troy Leishman (Sandy)
Troy Leishman (Sandy)
I have a deep passion for working with people and helping them understand themselves.
I have several years of experience working with adolescents and families in crisis. I am versed in suicide assessment and prevention for both adolescents and adults. I am committed to being there to help you understand your worth and guiding you toward finding your purpose.
I advocate extensively for the LGBTQ+ community and am an active advocate in both Salt Lake County and Utah County, not to mention wherever I go! I follow WPATH standards and keep up to date on all information disseminated by the LGBT Affirmative Therapists Guild of Utah.
I believe strongly that self-love and self-respect are the solid basis for good mental and emotional health.
I work from a person-centered approach, believing that each client can be the expert in their own life. I am enthusiastic about helping clients explore what possibilities for what the future holds!
Se Habla Español!
Jason "Jay" Snyder (Sandy and Provo)
Jason "Jay" Snyder (Sandy and Provo)
Here's a quick glance at a few ideas behind what I do:
I see a person of what ever age with their inherent sense of dignity and work with their self-determination; I aid in the healing, brainstorming or clarifying process if a person is willing to change; if and when diagnoses are necessary for insurance or validation then that is all it is-not as an identifier of who the person is, the person is much more than that; I operate with the idea we are all learning! Let's look where you want to go, not just where you don't. I work to start noticing strengths, what is working and what is going well and how we can use this in different areas of life.
Therapy is not about me. During our meetings I take the role of the guide not as the expert. The idea is you becoming more the expert of your life as you learn. I will, however, guide your process more or less at times, ask you important questions when needed, and challenge your thoughts and assumptions if they seem to work against you. To offset the honesty, reflection and mindfulness my therapeutic style also include some humor and fun-although that is a relative term.
I work within schools, so I am well versed working with kids of all ages, from kindergarten to seniors. I am also well versed working with the adults having challenges with kids of these ages.
Before moving into mental health I worked within fitness and wellness for over ten years. I use this understanding in multiple ways including creating boundaries, prioritizing, need for play and self-care.
Darlene Dukes (Sandy and Provo)
Darlene Dukes (Sandy and Provo)
I am a caring and compassionate soul; it is my weakness and it is my strength. I am very invested in the happiness of others and I pour my heart into striving for good outcomes for those around me. My life is devoted to helping others to achieve peace and happiness.
We all have challenges in life; Having a safe place where you can process thoughts and dreams can be helpful. I strive to guide individuals to seek balance, joy, growth and fulfilled lives. Let's work together to face the difficulties you encounter and come up with strategies to overcome them.
I am an ally to the LGBTQ+ community and care deeply that identify, self-expression, and safety are promoted and ensured. I follow WPATH standards of care for individuals on the gender spectrum.
I use varied types of therapy such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. I have experience with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Marriage Issues, Grief, Crisis, and many other difficulties.
I provide a safe nonjudgmental environment where we can work on your challenges. I look forward to assisting you on your path to wellness and to support you in achieving your goals.
Contact:
Noah Burk (Sandy)
Noah Burk (Sandy)
Life can be challenging and can sometimes get in the way of our happiness. This can lead to problems that can be difficult to work through on our own. I work with clients to resolve these problems by utilizing their strengths and resources. I also provide different perspectives and therapeutic modalities to achieve each client’s individualized goals.
I specialize in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) as well as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). I believe each client has the skills and resources within them to overcome the challenges they face. I provide a nonjudgmental space in which clients can explore and resolve these challenges.
I offer afternoon and evening appointments. I also encourage email communication regarding the therapy process, your questions, and any concerns.
Elizabeth "Beth" Gray (Sandy and Provo)
Elizabeth "Beth" Gray (Sandy and Provo)
Hi, please call me Beth! As a mental health professional, I strive to be a healing force when people need it the most.
Over the last decade, I have been guiding families to achieve harmony, helping them adjust to changes in their family dynamic and structure. I have worked as a board member for Empowering Fearless Birth and The Birth Circle, working to improve rights for people, pregnancy, childbirth, breast/chest feeding, and postpartum concerns. Much of that focus has been helping new parents with the emotional struggles with changing families. Through this I have gained familiarity, ease, and valuable skills in working with children and adolescent clients.
I have completed level I training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy, a specialized set of therapy skills and approaches for marriage and family counseling. I have also received training from Postpartum Support International.
I have gained a passion for social justice and am proactive in helping make the world a better place by helping one person at a time, with the overarching goal of improving harmony for all. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community I understand hardships faced by minorities. I use that passion to support people no matter what stage of life they are in, or challenges and changes they are experiencing.
My free time is spent playing Board, Tabletop, and Role Playing games. I am a super nerd/geek at heart. These skills have helped me to approach each client with strategies that are designed specifically for their ever changing needs.
TJ Harmon (Sandy)
TJ Harmon (Sandy)
As an experiential therapist, I focus on awareness of the whole self, authenticity, and balance in life. While the past is critical to understanding the present, I encourage a here-and-now approach to healing the past.
When I look at an individual, it is easy to observe the many components that complete that person. Your uniqueness and value is enhanced, affirmed and validated as you come to accept the person you are. I like to compare it to a puzzle. All pieces are different, and necessary to complete the whole. When a piece is missing, the puzzle is incomplete.
Through awareness, assimilation, and balance, I encourage you to reunite the parts of yourself that you have cut off or shut down, so the completed picture is whole, and unbroken. I believe firmly the whole person must be addressed, and that only then is true authenticity and full self-actualization possible.
As a transgender trans-masculine person, I am culturally sensitive, affirmative, and open to the uniqueness of the individuals I work with, be they of the LGBTQ+ population or otherwise. Having grown up in the LDS faith, I have personally navigated the LDS/LGBTQ+ dynamic and feel confident in my abilities to help you do the same in a way that works for you.
I have 5+ years of experience working with children and teens who struggle with the autism spectrum disorder addressing social and other behavioral issues. I am experienced with play therapy and applied behavioral analysis techniques.
Emily Bridenstine (Provo)
Emily Bridenstine (Provo)
I am passionate about helping individuals overcome self-rejection and begin to accept themselves and who they can become. We can achieve self-acceptance by first discovering where this rejection came from and making small adjustments to the way that we view our worlds.
I have a very special place in my heart for those who struggle with pornography addiction. I can work with you to remove shame and guilt and free yourself from the cycle of addiction. In the past, I taught a comprehensive four-week workshop on how loved ones can be impacted by an individual’s pornography addiction. This workshop included an explanation of the biological, social, and emotional effects, factors that encourage, and common symptoms of pornography use.
I am currently completing my master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Capella University and work under the guidance of Isaac Vazquez, CMHC, LMFT. As an intern marriage and family therapist, I received specialized training in couples and family therapy. I can help you connect with each other and create a loving and supportive relationship, or family, where you can grow together rather than grow apart.
I would feel privileged to get to know you and begin our journey together, so please don’t hesitate to contact me via email or a phone call.
Kerri Birch (Sandy)
Kerri Birch (Sandy)
I look forward to walking alongside you in your journey as a guide and confidant in confronting the challenges you face. I am a counseling intern and am currently studying at the University of Phoenix in the Master of Clinical Mental Health Program; I intern as a counselor at Advanced Awareness under the leadership and supervisor of Kristin Adams, LCSW. I am a firm believer in person-centered therapy, where the focus is on building a strong relationship and fully trusting you to lead me in the direction to understanding how I can best assist you. I also utilize various therapeutic approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT). I work with many populations and many presenting concerns, including anxiety, depression, faith crises, life transitions, grief and loss, and my scope of also includes work in the addiction therapy field from my time spent working at residential treatment center. I am currently a member of the American Mental Health Counselor Association (AMHCA) and the Utah Mental Health Counselor Association (UMHCA). Please feel free to schedule online, call, or text for an appointment, I am eager to help as much as I can and I value your mental health.
Taylor Nielsen (Sandy)
Taylor Nielsen (Sandy)
I appreciate and acknowledge the strength and courage it takes to start counseling. Our mental health is not often given priority. We live in a busy stressful world and while we take care of our physical selves, our mental and emotional selves are not given the love and care it needs.
The counseling relationship is a wonderful partnership that I can't wait to start with you, that is why I am such a big fan of Person-Centered Therapy. These are your sessions, I am here to help!
I have been working in the mental health field for 6 years working in various group homes and residential treatment centers with many populations including adolescents and adults. I graduated with my Bachelor's degree in Behavioral Science from UVU and finishing up my Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling through Southern New Hampshire University. Give me a call or email and let's begin this journey together!
Adrienne Gamble (Sandy)
Adrienne Gamble (Sandy)
I have a strong desire to serve others! I enjoy learning who people are and seeing the picture of their life. How can I help you improve the perspective you have on your life? How can I help you improve your life? I can assist in mitigating traumas, anxieties, depression, and various other hold-ups to help you free mental and emotional space to feel empowered to enjoy your life and the world around you.
I work to anticipate the needs of others and listen carefully to make sure I am hearing you correctly. I listen carefully so I can hear the pieces of the puzzle that only you have knowledge of, to use those to help empower you to control your future, accept your past, overcome obstacles, and be the master of your own life.