I want to help you find light when all you see is darkness and put the weight you’ve been carrying down.

Specialties

Chronic Illness - Neurodivergent Counseling

Depression - Anxiety - PTSD - Religious Trauma

Life Transitions - Substance Use Disorder

About

I was motivated to become a therapist by witnessing the effects of people struggling with generations of PTSD, substance use, poverty, and neurodivergence. I have been partially deaf since I was 6 years old and I think this taught me to read body language to help me make sense of what people were saying when I couldn’t quite hear them right. 

Because of this reliance on body language, I would encounter so many people with masks on. What I mean by that is that they would say they were fine or would show anger when in reality they were burdened by this unacknowledged weight on their shoulders that carried their trauma, sadness, fear, anxiety, judgments, blame, and everything negative in between. I learned to really see people as people living their first life, just like I’m living my first life. Be you, be real, and let's figure out those things that weigh down your light.

Clinical Approach

I use a combination of CBT, MI, and DBT skills for most of my sessions. What that alphabet soup means is: CBT–cognitive behavioral therapy, how do my emotions, thoughts, and behaviors interact? MI–Motivational Interviewing, what are the things that motivate me towards specific behaviors that I would like to keep and ones I would like to change? DBT skills–dialectical behavioral therapy skills, what tools can I add to my mental health toolbox and what tools do I already have? In addition, I do a lot of psychoeducation–i.e. why does this therapy work or why does this intervention help?

Quote

“Everyone is someone’s someone.”

—Unknown

Who I Work With

I work with people that are navigating transitions in life from divorce, birth, disease, military, and everything in between. These individuals are usually adults that are tired of just letting life happen to them and want to be the driving force in their decision making. I like to help individuals learn how to advocate for themselves and love themselves when they feel like the world is against them.I enjoy helping people feel safe in their own skin again.

Outside the Office

I’m a disabled and divorced momma to two wonderful children. I enjoy listening to birds, collecting rocks, and reading. Almost every male in my family has been enlisted in the military and this has been a strong motivational factor for me becoming a therapist.

Training & Background

I have a bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Health Services with a minor in holistic healthcare. This then led to a passion for working with people in a holistic manner, so I became better skilled by obtaining training in the clinical mental health field. I completed this training by obtaining my Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health. I then realized I needed to spruce up a couple of areas to truly work with the people I wanted to help the most; those I could see struggling that nobody else seemed to see as human.

I have a MCBAP development plan that enabled me to work directly with individuals with substance use disorder. In addition, I have 180 specific post masters degree training in the treatment and development of substance use disorder; including specific training to work with people with military trauma, neurodivergence, chronic illness, and court ordered individuals. Trauma informed and person centered is the way I practice.

Connect

Psychology Today Profile: https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/1685274