My Approach to Helping
I grew up in the lush rural countryside of Minnesota and moved to Arizona in 1982. I explored my youth and this beautiful state for several years before settling down with a career in respiratory therapy. I worked for 26 years as a Registered Respiratory Therapist and met my soulmate and husband working together in the trenches of Intensive Care at a large trauma hospital. I am blessed with three amazing stepsons, their partners, and seven beautiful grandchildren. I have been fascinated with psychology since the age of 16. For many years, I thought it was to my detriment that I did not attend college right out of high school to pursue this passion, but I have come to realize that the “education” I received through life experiences has enriched my understanding of the human condition, with all its attending challenges, growth, and amazing capacity to heal. Urged on by the belief that it is never too late to pursue your dreams, I made a significant career change after those 26 years as a medical professional. I completed my master’s degree with honors in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Phoenix in 2017. My counseling career began in a residential substance abuse treatment center, working with individuals, groups, and families struggling with substance use, anxiety, depression, grief loss, and trauma, and I have been dedicated to helping clients release suffering and realize their full potential ever since. I have a true heart for uprooting maladaptive core beliefs that keep us trapped in habitual patterns of distress and for treating the manifestations of trauma (those large and small insults to the body, mind, and spirit) that affect our relationships with self and others. I am a lifelong learner and have completed specialty training in the areas of anxiety, depression, neuropsychology, trauma, and energy psychology. I am educated and trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Emotional Freedom Technique, and Mindfulness therapies – with advanced training in Trauma Informed and Grief Therapies. I am an EMDR therapy provider with EMDRIA-approved basic training and a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. I am also a Certified Telehealth Treatment Provider.
My treatment philosophy is existential in nature, helping my clients balance freedom and responsibility while creating greater purpose and meaning in their daily lives. My goal in therapy is to create a safe space for you to discover, restore, and transform so you can live your best self. I believe we inherently possess the capacities for self-actualization, compassion, awareness, and healing. Maybe this is an entirely new idea for you, or perhaps you knew this but have somehow lost your way. Wherever you are, the amazing capacity of the mind-brain for change and new growth promises an opportunity to develop and nurture what may have been missed, restore what was lost, and heal the wounds that bind us. Suppose you are tired of “reacting” to life. In that case, if you are ready to try something different, invest in yourself, and seek empowerment, balance, self-agency, and the freedom to feel and live fully, I support you and look forward to meeting you and assisting you on your wellness journey! Bachelor of Science in Human Services; Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling; Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with the State of Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners; Certified with the National Board for Certified Counselors (NCC); Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP); Professional Skills Training with the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology; Member of the American Counseling Association, and the International Association of Trauma Professionals