I was raised in Colorado and would consider myself a mountain girl. When I read John Muir's, "The mountains are calling and I must go," I think off all the times I have needed to get out into nature to feel more balanced and at peace in my world. I currently live in Southern California and have lived near the beach for the last 9 years so my appreciation for the beach and the power of the ocean is increasing....but I still love the mountains!
I received my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Seattle Pacific University in the great Pacific Northwest. I greatly enjoyed my time living in the big city and also felt my calling to help people repeatedly confirmed through my own struggles in college and walking with friends and roommates during that time. I was a Young Life leader during and after college as well and saw the value in incorporating my faith into my relationships. I later pursued my Master of Arts in Professional Counseling from Liberty University after getting married and moving around the country with my husband who is active duty military.
I've worked with many different types of clients since beginning my professional counseling journey. I have walked with those struggling with chronic mental illness, college students searching for an identity, middle aged adults in difficult relationships, and everything in between. Most of my experience has been working with adolescents and young adults but I greatly value working with people from all walks of life.
I value skill- based counseling where I can help clients learn and utilize tangible skills that can be applied to every day situations and relationships that they face. I have found the Cognitive Behavioral approach to counseling to be very helpful in providing a tool box of skills that can encourage clients to challenge what they tell themselves about the world, themselves, and others in order to change behavior. I also value the solution-focused approach to therapy that focuses more on current difficulties and empowers clients to access the tools and gifts they already have.
Additional areas of focus: Addictions, LGBT, Family conflicts, Grief, Intimacy-related issues, Eating disorders, Anger management, Bipolar disorder
CA LPCC 1917