Chyrese Downs (LCSW)

I am a licensed clinical social worker in Utah. I received my master in social work degree from the University of Utah and have been counseling for about eight years. While in school, I did a concentration in forensics and earned a certificate in criminology and corrections. I worked within the criminal justice system for about six years with adolescents and adults. While working in the criminal justice system, I was able to work with clients who have a variety of concerns. These included addiction, grief and loss, anger management, conflict resolution, self-esteem, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and transitioning to life outside of the criminal justice system. I currently work with parents in helping them navigate the work-life balance. Being a working parent myself, I have a strong passion for understanding the variety of challenges that are going to happen. Being able to access and receive the necessary resources available to help parents is crucial for navigating our busy lives. Sometimes being able to navigate our emotional and mental health is one of the best things we can do as a parents. This experience is about your personal growth. My position in working with you is to find the areas in your life that are not working well and see how they can best be improved and encourage your further development in life’s challenges. My approach uses a combination of cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, strength-based, solution focused, and mindfulness. Making the decision to work with a therapist is not always an easy one. There are times it can feel uncomfortable to share your personal experiences with someone you have never met. I want to assure that I will not judge the choices you have made in your life or the feelings you have. There will likely be times that this experience will be difficult and others where you will enjoy it. I hope you are able to embrace these opposing concepts through your journey, as it shows your growth and work being accomplished. While I am on this journey with you and am excited to begin getting to know you better, I want you to feel comfortable in talking with me. If you have any concerns about the therapeutic process, I encourage you to discuss them with me at any time in this journey. Again, I am excited to begin working with you and getting to know you better!