Tonya Carpenter

Hello! My name is Tonya Carpenter and I am licensed as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) in the state of Montana. I have been in private practice for the last five years and was providing counseling services in a hospital clinical setting for three years prior to private practice. I have also worked in the school setting as a behavior intervention specialist for grades 6-12, and worked with adults with disabilities. I received my Master of Social Work degree from the University of Southern California with an emphasis in Military and Veterans Affairs. As a veteran myself, I understand the importance of supporting our service members. I have a fairly direct and up front approach as I would rather ask a question directly than assume things are a certain way. I am able to do this while maintaining a warm, nonjudgmental approach with clients. I believe that no one is “broken” and needs to be “fixed” as I hear so many clients say, but that every person is operating in their environment the best way they know how with the tools they have. I would like to be able to go through the journey with you of creating the best quality of life possible. I am able to help clients with co-occurring disorders, substance use, PTSD, depression, anxiety, Bipolar, child abuse and neglect, communication, anger management, and other diagnosis or life stressors, but have a primary focus in trauma and military affairs. I utilize a client centered, strengths based, solution-focused approach to meet the client where they are. I also utilize evidenced based practices such as motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, and dialectical behavioral therapy. I am certified in EMDR (eye movement desensitization reprocessing), MRT (moral reconation therapy), trauma-focused CBT, and trauma narratives. I will respond to messages within 24 hours Monday through Friday, and will do my best to accommodate you for scheduling live sessions. I look forward to working with you!