"...healing means, first of all, the creation of an empty but friendly space where those who suffer can tell their story to someone who can listen with real attention..." (Henri Nouwen)
My desire in counseling is to provide a safe, non-judgmental space for one to tell their story, to go deeper and discover their own personal way of being human and the way they want to go. As Henri Nouwen says, "Quite often it is our fear for the hidden moments in our own history that keeps us paralyzed."
How I Help
My approach to counseling is holistic and considers the bio psycho social and spiritual aspects of a person to explore and encourage growth, emotional and spiritual well-being, independence and higher quality of life. I look forward to joining individuals, couples and families in the counseling process, as well as receiving input from all receiving counseling, as it will be an important and ongoing part of the counseling process.
My Specialties
Couples/Families
Couples and Families are complex and struggle in their relationships with one another. Many things can impact the dynamics of those relationships. Counseling can provide a safe place to explore those dynamics and develop more helpful ways to communicate, work through conflict, set healthy boundaries and even mend relationships and/or heal from hurts in relationships. I have a real passion for families and individuals that are struggling or have struggled with complex dynamics of being a ‘blended’ family or impacted by family members with addiction/substance disorders.
Anxiety, Depression, Mood Disorders, & Personality Disorders
Do you find yourself struggling to control your emotions? Do you feel easily agitated or frequently sad/down? Are you experiencing a decrease in motivation and hopefulness? Do you find it hard to control worry thoughts or difficult to shut off your thoughts? Do you feel anxious often? I would like to join you in exploring your emotions and going deeper to identify their origin and ways to manage them, interpret them and reduce the amount of suffering associated with intense emotions.
More About Me
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, friends, and faith community. You can find me and my family enjoying travel, the beach and pool as often as we can. The former soccer athlete in me and longtime coach enjoys watching various sports, especially soccer along with coaching my daughter’s soccer team.
I have advanced training as a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist and in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). I am also receiving training in Emotional Focused therapy (EFT) and Internal Family Systems (IFS). I am thankful for my rich experience and training as an addictions counselor for over 15 years along with work overseas in various missions, teaching forums, and counseling