Thoughts become words.

Words become meaning.

Meaning shapes who we are becoming among the stars.

Meet Tiana

Reaching out for support takes courage, and I am truly glad you are here.

As a counseling intern at Hope Crest, I work with tweens, teens, adults, and families who are navigating stress, big emotions, life transitions, or moments of feeling stuck or disconnected. Whether you are experiencing anxiety, depression, emotional regulation challenges, attention-related concerns, or simply sensing that something needs to shift, you do not have to carry it alone.

My approach is rooted in person-centered care and built on the belief that healing happens when people feel genuinely seen, heard, and respected. I strive to create a calm, collaborative space where you can show up as you are, without judgment or pressure to have everything figured out. We move at your pace, focusing on what feels most meaningful and supportive for you.

Alongside evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), I enjoy integrating creative and interest-based tools into therapy. I have a strong interest in creative expression and geek-affirming therapy, including art-based interventions, creative coping activities, video-games, and role-play or tabletop-style experiences when appropriate. These approaches can make therapy feel more engaging and accessible, especially for individuals who find it hard to put feelings into words or who connect more easily through creativity, storytelling, or play.

Before joining Hope Crest, I supported teens in an Intensive Outpatient Program, co-facilitating groups focused on emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and healthy relationships. I have also worked in a high school serving students with developmental, emotional, and behavioral needs, and I have experience supporting both children and adults with Autism diagnoses. These experiences continue to shape my commitment to trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming care.

I am currently completing my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling through Southern New Hampshire University, with a long-term goal of supporting individuals and families across all stages of life. It is a privilege to be invited into someone’s story, and I would be honored to walk alongside you or your child as you work toward greater understanding, resilience, and connection.

What is Geek Therapy?

Geek Therapy is a creative, strengths-based approach that uses games, storytelling, and imaginative worlds as meaningful tools for emotional growth and connection. Many kids and teens communicate best through play, stories, and shared interests rather than traditional talk therapy. Geek Therapy meets them there.

Using elements like Dungeons and Dragons–style role-play, narrative therapy, and game-based activities, sessions create space to explore emotions, identity, relationships, and problem-solving in ways that feel engaging, safe, and accessible. Characters, quests, and imagined worlds often make it easier to practice skills like emotional regulation, perspective-taking, communication, and confidence building without the pressure of direct self-disclosure.

Geek Therapy is especially supportive for neurodivergent clients, creative thinkers, and those who feel overwhelmed, misunderstood, or disconnected in more traditional settings. While sessions may feel playful on the surface, the work underneath is intentional, therapeutic, and grounded in evidence-based practice.

At its core, Geek Therapy is about connection, empowerment, and helping clients discover their own strengths by using the worlds and stories they already love.

How I use Creative Expression in Sessions…

Creative expression is a core part of how I work, especially for clients who find it hard to put their inner experience into words. Art, play, storytelling, and hands-on activities offer another way in, one that feels safer, more natural, and often more honest than conversation alone.

Through tools like role-play, collaborative games, creative writing, visual art, and working with materials like Play-Doh or sand, clients are invited to explore emotions, patterns, and strengths in a way that feels engaging rather than overwhelming. These approaches can lower pressure, increase emotional safety, and make space for insight and regulation to emerge organically.

Sometimes that looks like externalizing anxiety through art, practicing new ways of responding through story or role-play, or giving shape to feelings that feel too big or too unclear to name. Creative work allows therapy to be both meaningful and accessible, especially for children, teens, neurodivergent clients, and anyone who benefits from learning and processing beyond traditional talk therapy.