About Dr. Cole

Who am I?

I am a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of Indiana and received my doctoral degree in clinical psychology (Psy.D.) from the University of Indianapolis in 2017. I have prior experience working in community mental health, college counseling, and inpatient/residential treatment, and have been working consistently in private practice since 2017. I currently practice out of the offices of New Perspectives of Indiana, Inc.

Who do I work with?

At present, I work primarily with individuals age 14 to 30 years. I have experience working with children as young as 4 years of age all the way up to older adults who are 65+. I have a real passion for working adolescents and young adults. I believe that intervening with young individuals can help provide them the tools to navigate the struggles of life long after their therapy has ended. I have a number of tools in the office, such as fidgets, games, art supplies, books, etc. to help facilitate comfort and communication. 

Teens often find it difficult to connect with a therapist or feel that therapy is a safe space for them. My down-to-earth but fun-loving personality allows me to put the teens I work with at ease while also finding a way to connect with them through the things they love (music, art, favorite TV shows, etc.). When I work with teens, I also find it important to protect their time with me. This means I generally tend to keep the content of our sessions private, with the exception that parents will be notified if and when their teen is engaging in potentially harmful behaviors (suicidal ideation, self-harm, etc.). 

How do I work?

I like to think of the work of therapy taking place within two layers. The top layer represents the symptoms and everyday experiences with which the person may be dealing. This is where the work begins. Initially, we work together to place band-aids on this top layer (e.g., incorporating breathing exercises, or other new coping techniques) in order to make day-to-day life a little more tolerable. Once the band-aids have been placed, our work dives to the deeper layer. This is where we work together to explore your history and make sense of how your experiences have brought you to where you are today. With this awareness, you can then move forward knowing that you have the power to make new decisions and create new behavior and relationship patterns that will be more helpful for you in the future. 

With anyone I work with, I find that the relationship between myself and the patient is a key ingredient to the therapy being a success. The relationship needs to be one that feels comfortable and trusting, creating what we therapists like to call a good "fit." If this ingredient isn't present, the therapy process can be uncomfortable at best and damaging at worst. If we begin working together and you feel that you and I don't mesh well together, that's okay! I'll do my best to help you find another therapist to fit your needs.