LPC, 8 years of experience
I specialize in helping clients who are struggling with chronic illness, grief and loss related to losing someone or major life changes, caregiver fatigue, end-of-life issues and related burnout. Having personally experienced all of these things, gives me a true understanding and unique perspective while working with clients. Through past work with clients and m own personal journey with caregiving, deep grief, end-of-life issues, chronic illness and related burnout, I realized that my special talents lie in helping people who are seeking help with things themselves. I love teaching and speaking for groups who want to learn more about all of these things. I believe in a holistic approach to living and a balanced lifestyle and look forward to helping my clients achieve their dreams. When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with family, being out in nature, photography, reading, learning, walking, yoga, and spending time with my cat, Carl. I am currently missing my giant Lab, Dugan. Fly high, Buddy.
During our first meeting together, I will answer any questions you may have, and ask you what you would like to get from our time together. We will develop a set of goals to work on and some manageable action steps you can take to get there. Many of my clients come in with exhaustion, pain, or grief that we will start to work through as well.
My strengths include helping clients feel comfortable sharing, and encouraging them to be a part of planning their focus and goals for our time togehter. I enjoy helping clients view their lives from a holistic perspective. For example, we take into account the client's religious or spiritual beliefs, eating, sleeping, and movement habits, and their routines as a part of this process. A holistic approach to counseling views the person as a whole—mind, body, emotions, spirit, and environment—rather than focusing solely on symptoms or isolated issues. It recognizes that healing and growth happen across multiple dimensions and that each part of a person’s life influences the others.
My ideal client is someone who is ready to take charge of their well-being, healing and growth, and commit to working consistently toward lasting change. You may be asked to do things like get outdoors or set aside quiet time each day. I work with individual adults, couples, and families, and really enjoy working with adults over forty.
I have found CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) to be very effective in helping clients create and implement new systems and behaviors to replace behaviors that aren't working for them. This new way of living adds value to their lives by helping them make needed changes and improve quality of life.
Having experienced deep grief myself, I understand that grief is one of the most difficult emotions we can experience. In our time together, I will utilize Person Centered Therapy in order to provide clients a safe place to process their loss as they are able, focusing on self-care, and recognizing that everyone grieves differently. We will look for ways to remember and honor their loved one or whatever it is they have lost, while working to build their lives back around their grief one day at a time in a way that feels right for them.
Trauma affects us all in different ways. I approach every client relationship through the lens of trauma-informed care, recognizing that past experiences—whether acute, chronic, or complex—can shape how we think, feel, and relate to others. Trauma-informed care means creating a space that prioritizes emotional safety, choice, collaboration, and empowerment for each of my clients. Some ways I make sure to do this are by allowing each client to process thoughts and feelings as they are able, avoiding re-traumatization by being mindful of triggers and boundaries, making sure the client has autonomy and a voice in every session, integrating body-based awareness and nervous system regulation, and validating the impact of trauma while remembering the client is not their trauma.
I incorporate mindfulness-based therapy to help clients cultivate present-moment awareness, emotional regulation, and a deeper connection to themselves. This approach allows clients to gently observe their thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without judgment—creating space for insight, compassion, and healing. Mindfulness helps clients slow down, grounding in the here and now, and responding to life with greater clarity and intention. Whether someone is navigating grief, trauma, chronic illness, or stress, mindfulness offers tools to reduce overwhelm, increase resilience, and foster inner peace. In our work together, we may explore breathwork, guided imagery, body scans, or mindful reflection—always tailored to the client’s comfort and readiness. Mindfulness-based therapy is not about “fixing” the mind—it’s about caring for it.
I integrate strength-based counseling to help clients recognize and build upon their inherent resilience, wisdom, and capacity for growth. Rather than focusing solely on problems or what is going “wrong”, this approach centers what’s already working—however small—and uses those strengths as a foundation for healing and transformation. In our work together, we’ll identify personal values, inner resources, and past successes that can support current challenges. Whether a client is navigating grief, trauma, chronic illness, or life transitions, I help recognize their sense of agency, purpose, and possibility.