About Me
My background includes a PhD in Social Work from Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, an LCSW license in Arkansas, therapy with medical and graduate students at the University of Medical Sciences in Little Rock, private practice with young and older adults in Little Rock and over 15 years teaching graduate students at Tulane College of Public Health and UAMS in Little Rock. My passion for taking a life stages approach to therapy is a result of these experiences.
In my practice, I work with adults in individual therapy for many reasons. There is no one generic issue for adults, and there are no generic adults. We are all living, learning, and growing at our own pace, in our own current life stage.
Ruth is verified by Psychology Today. Learn more about Ruth on her Psychology Today page.
Connect with Ruth on the LinkedIn social network.
01
Young Adults
Research has shown that our brains are not fully formed until we are in our mid to late twenties. And yet we are moving through rapid change during our twenties; for example: new careers, graduate school, medical school or law school, new relationships, or marriages, starting families and creating new social support groups after high school or college. It is a lot to navigate.
02
Middle Age
Middle age brings its own challenges, career ups and downs, working to maintain healthy relationships or deciding to move on, handling growing children’s needs, and looking to the future for ourselves. Occasionally, there are roadblocks or decisions to be made along the way. We need to develop skills to meet these challenges, whether they come in the form of losses, illnesses, or exciting new ventures.
03
Transitions
And as we mature further, there are the inevitable endings to grieve, caregiving, decisions about retirement or new careers again. A life review and increasing resilience can make the journey smoother. We now know that neuroplasticity, the growth of new connections in our brains, can continue into old age, particularly with conscious effort and good emotional health.
I have just named a few of the myriad issues for adults here. In my practice I have worked with all of these and more. See my services and specialties page to learn more. While I may sometimes use one method that I have trained in and sometimes another, I feel that it is important to consult with my client first to determine what their preferences and needs are and to check in regularly to fine tune and adjust the therapy to their needs.
