What approach is used?
I believe in meeting people where they are — but I also believe healing works best when it's grounded in evidence, not guesswork. My approach blends multiple evidence-based practices (EBPs), tailored to what each person actually needs, rather than a one-size-fits-all model.
Here's what that looks like in practice:
Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
& Prolonged Exposure (PE)
For reducing the emotional and behavioral impact of trauma, especially with children, adolescents, and families working through single or complex traumatic experiences.
PE is a structured approach for processing traumatic memories safely, shown to significantly reduce PTSD and panic-related symptoms.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
For building skills in mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness — especially useful for those managing suicidal ideation, self-harm behaviors, or intense emotional swings.
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Meeting people at their stage of change, rather than pushing an agenda — this helps create real, sustainable movement toward goals.
The Self-Esteem Workbook
Build Confidence. Challenge Self-Doubt. Become Your Own Safe Place.
Do you constantly question yourself, compare yourself to others,
or struggle to believe you're enough?
You're not alone.
Many of the beliefs we hold about ourselves were formed through life experiences, relationships, criticism, trauma, or unrealistic expectations—not because they're true.
The Self-Esteem Workbook was designed to help you identify where those beliefs came from, challenge them with compassion, and begin building a healthier relationship with yourself.
Inside this workbook, you'll learn how to:
✨ Recognize negative self-talk and replace it with healthier thought
✨ Understand how past experiences shape self-esteem.
✨ Build confidence through practical exercises.
✨ Set healthier boundarieses.
✨ Practice self-compassion instead of self-criticism.
✨ Celebrate your strengths and personal growth.
✨ Develop habits that support lasting confidence.
This isn't about becoming perfect.
It's about learning to see yourself through a kinder, more compassionate lens.
Whether you're beginning your healing journey or continuing the work you've already started, this workbook provides practical tools and guided reflections to help you grow in confidence, resilience, and self-worth.
Because you are more than your mistakes, your past, or the stories you've been told about yourself.
You deserve to believe that.
What Customers Say About Dr. Steph
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this workbook, but I’m so glad I did. It helped me recognize just how much my past experiences and negative self-talk were affecting the way I saw myself. The exercises were easy to follow but really made me stop and reflect in ways I hadn’t before.
What I appreciated most is that it wasn’t about “thinking positive” or pretending everything is okay. It challenged me to be honest with myself while also showing myself compassion. I walked away with practical tools I can actually use when self-doubt shows up, and I already feel more confident setting boundaries and giving myself grace.
If you’ve ever struggled with feeling like you’re not enough, constantly comparing yourself to others, or being your own worst critic, this workbook is absolutely worth it. I highly recommend it.
I recently completed a workshop with Dr. Steph focused on improving my boundaries, and it turned out to be the perfect place to begin my personal growth journey.
The process was incredibly hands-on. Between working through the material in the workbook and meeting with Dr. Steph, I was challenged with thought-provoking questions that really pushed me to examine my underlying motivations. It was so helpful to have that dedicated time in our sessions to unpack everything and work through those realizations in real time.
I truly appreciate the deeper level of self-awareness I gained from this experience. I’m already looking forward to my next workshop so I can keep exploring the "why" behind my habits and continue working toward becoming the best version of myself.
Meet Dr. Steph
Therapist, researcher, and human who believes emotional health is health, full stop.
For over a decade, I've worked on the front lines of mental health care: home-based therapy, crisis stabilization, hospital social work, and assertive community treatment for people navigating trauma, suicidal ideation, substance use, and severe mental illness. I've sat with people in their hardest moments — in ERs, jail cells, living rooms, and everywhere in between — and I've learned that healing doesn't happen through polish. It happens through honesty.
I hold a Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) from Tulane University, a Master's in Social Work, and I'm a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) and Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC). I'm trained in trauma-focused CBT, DBT, prolonged exposure, motivational interviewing, and more — but what I bring to the table isn't just technique. It's presence.
I've supervised new clinicians, published research on social worker burnout and retention, and spent years figuring out how to actually sustain this work without losing yourself in it. That's what Dr. Steph, Unfiltered is about: no performative wellness, no clinical distance — just real talk about what healing (and staying human while doing this work) actually looks like.
Therapist. Researcher. Human.
XOXO,
Dr. Steph
