Dustin Haywood (He/Him) LICSW, RN

Specialties: Sleeping Issues, Anxiety, & Stress Management

In-network Preferred Provider: Aetna, Ambetter, Anthem, Asuris, BlueCross/BlueShield, Coordinated Care, HMA, Molina, Lifewise, Optum, Premera, Regence, UnitedHealthcare UHC/UBH, and Wellpoint 

What Will Therapy Look Like With Me?:

Therapy with me is a collaborative journey where we'll explore your inner world and work towards positive changes. Together, we can explore solutions and develop strategies to manage the feelings you are experiencing. We can do this by creating a space for you to process your feelings, look at how to change your behavior, or explore the root cause of your distress. When looking at the root cause of your distress we will focus on understanding how past experiences influence your present emotions. When changing behavior we identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors. If you just need the space to process your feelings we can incorporate that as well.

Our goal is to increase your self-awareness and provide you with the skills to make positive changes in your life. Together, we'll work towards a deeper understanding of yourself and a more fulfilling future.

Now A Little About Me:

With 15 years of experience in the mental health field, including 8 years as a therapist, I bring a diverse skillset to my practice.  

My background includes crisis intervention (as an EMT and ER technician), case management, and providing individual therapy in both inpatient and outpatient settings. 

Through these experiences, I've developed expertise in crisis de-escalation, emotional regulation, and creating personalized treatment plans for both adolescents and adults. 

I'm passionate about fostering resilience, both in my clients and in myself. This commitment led me to pursue extensive education in the field, culminating in a Master's in Social Work and Bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Nursing. I'm currently pursuing my Doctorate in Psychiatric Nurse Practice to further deepen my expertise. This diverse educational background allows me to approach mental health from a holistic perspective, integrating psychological, medical, and social work perspectives to provide comprehensive care. 

My dedication to self-care allows me to show up fully for my clients. Whether I'm trail running, watching a movie, or spending time with my cats, these activities help me find balance and bring my authentic self to the therapeutic process. This allows me to cultivate presence, compassion, and the energy to support my clients on their journeys. 

Treatment Modalities That Ground My Practice:

• Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (Long Term Approach): Psychodynamic Psychotherapy can help you understand and address recurring patterns in your life. For example, if you find yourself repeatedly getting into unhealthy relationships, we might explore how your early childhood experiences shaped your expectations of others. Or, if you struggle with low self-esteem, we might look at how past events contributed to your sense of self. By understanding these connections, you can start to make changes that lead to a more satisfying life. 

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Short Term Approach)/CBT-I: Using techniques from CBT we can help you learn to cope with a variety of challenges. For example, if you're feeling anxious, we might look at whether you're having a lot of 'what if' thoughts, or if you're always expecting the worst to happen. CBT can help you learn to challenge those thoughts and replace them with more realistic and helpful ones. We might also work on changing behaviors, like learning to face your fears instead of avoiding them. 

• Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (Short Term Approach): Combines mindfulness with cognitive strategies to prevent the recurrence of mental health issues. It's like learning to observe your thoughts and feelings without judgment, like clouds passing by in the sky. This can help you create some space between you and your experiences, so you can respond to challenges in a more helpful way.

Final Thoughts:

I believe that a therapist's respect for all lived experiences and understanding about the varied issues people face in society is essential in therapy. 

Contact:

If you're seeking support and guidance on your mental health journey, please feel free to reach out. We can schedule a free consultation with the contact us now page.