New to Grow
I am a seasoned mental health professional with more than two decades of experience, including approximately four years as a therapist. I work from a systemic perspective, recognizing that while each person has their own internal struggles, the world around them profoundly shapes their experiences and relationships. Drawing from training in multiple therapeutic modalities, I tailor my approach to each individual, creating personalized treatment plans that honor their unique needs and goals. My clinical work spans children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. I also have a unique and meaningful connection to first responders and their families, because I grew up in the fire community, and I am the spouse a first responder.
In the first session, we review the necessary paperwork, begin building rapport, and discuss your goals for therapy. We may start setting initial goals and determine the appropriate session frequency. If any additional forms or assessments are needed, we’ll complete those during this appointment as well.
I bring a deeply systemic lens to therapy, helping clients understand not only their individual choices and struggles but also how their developmental experiences and environments shape who they are today. My work is enriched by decades in the mental health field, personal experience as both a child and spouse of a first responder, and the insight gained from parenting a neurodivergent child. These perspectives, combined with my background as a homeschooling parent, allow me to meet clients with empathy, real‑world understanding, and a wholistic view of their lives.
I work with clients from grade school through adulthood, supporting people who want to better understand their emotions, strengthen their relationships, and navigate life’s challenges with more clarity and confidence. Many of my clients come to therapy hoping to make sense of their thoughts, build emotional awareness, and develop practical coping skills for school, work, trauma, grief, and relationship stress. I also have a strong background in working with first responders and their families—including children, spouses, and first responders themselves. I help them navigate the unique demands of a lifestyle that can feel isolating or misunderstood, while building a strong, supportive foundation at home. My goal is to help every client and family feel grounded, connected, and equipped to thrive.
I identify as
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT is used with all my clients (children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families) to help understand the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors while honoring the broader systemic factors that shape their experiences. With children and adolescents, I use developmentally appropriate CBT strategies - such as skill-building. emotional identification, and structured coping tools - to help them gain confidence and regulate their internal world. With adults, I focus on helping them identify long-standing cognitive patterns, exploring how these beliefs formed across developmental stages, and creating practical strategies for change. In couples and family work, I tend to apply CBT to help illuminate unhelpful interaction cycles, challenge rigid beliefs about one another, and build healthier communication patterns. Across all ages and systems, I blend CBT techniques with systemic perspective, allowing my clients to see both their internal processes and the relationship or environmental contexts that influence them. The goal for this integrated approach is to help my clients develop insight, build new coping skills, create meaningful and sustainable change.
Couples Counseling
I support couples through every stage of their relationship, using a blend of therapeutic approaches tailored to their unique needs. Whether partners are preparing for marriage, rebuilding trust after infidelity, strengthening connection, or navigating major transitions, I help them create healthier patterns and a stronger foundation. I also specialize in supporting blended families, co‑parenting dynamics, and step‑parenting challenges, offering guidance that brings clarity, teamwork, and renewed connection to the relationship.
Faith based therapy
I hold a degree in Youth and Family Ministry, which allows me to thoughtfully incorporate a faith-based perspective into therapy for clients who request it. While I am not formally credentialed as a Christian counselor, you offer a strong foundation in Christian principles for those who desire a biblically informed approach. When appropriate, I can integrate scripture, spiritual reflection, and faith-aligned resources into sessions, and provide additional materials such as Bible studies, readings, or supportive passages - based on each client's preferences. This approach ensures that faith is honored as a meaningful part of the healing process for clients who wish to include it.
Family Therapy
Over the years, I have grounded my family therapy practice in multiple systemic theories, allowing me to tailor my approach to the unique needs of each family I serve. My training across diverse systemic models enables families to strengthen their foundation, restore balance within the home, and establish clear, healthy boundaries. This integrated approach is effective across a wide range of family structures, including single‑parent households, cohabitating partners, married couples, co‑parenting arrangements, blended families, and multigenerational homes. By drawing from these complementary frameworks, I help families improve communication, clarify roles, and build a more stable and supportive environment where each member can thrive.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
I use a client‑centered approach to create a space where people feel genuinely safe, heard, and supported. Rooted in Carl Rogers’ work, this style empowers clients to take the lead in their own healing while I walk alongside them with curiosity, compassion, and zero judgment. Early in our work together, I use this approach to build strong rapport and help clients shape the direction of their sessions, identify meaningful goals, and explore whether their challenges are coming from within themselves, their environment, or both. Over the years, I’ve seen how this method helps clients open up, gain clarity, and make lasting changes that feel authentic and self‑driven.