It is a privilege to walk alongside someone for a season of life with the purpose of finding hope and change. I am dedicated to helping individuals experience freedom from issues that hinder them from achieving balance and satisfaction in life.  I will incorporate Christian faith-based counseling into my practice for those individuals that desire to include faith in their counseling journey.  I understand the importance of creating a safe, non-judgmental environment for individuals to express and explore unresolved issues and learn how to deal effectively with them to accomplish personal goals.  

I also recognize how difficult it can be to ask for help, especially when you want to figure it out on your own. When I was a teenager, I went on a youth retreat to a farm with a bunch of teenagers that I did not know.  During some free time, I joined in the fun and went to the top of the loft and jumped into the hay below. Unfortunately, I landed on my ankle wrong which resulted in sharp and immediate pain. As I was trying to get my breath, some of the kids asked if I was OK. I was completely embarrassed, and I didn’t want others to think I was hurt so I laughed it off and then proceeded to crawl up to the top and jump again to prove that I was not hurt.  I am not sure what anyone else thought of me that day — but as I reflect on my teenage self, I realized how much I worked to hide what I perceived as weakness or vulnerability — even if it meant I had to jump again — which only exacerbated the situation!

Fortunately, I have made several changes in what I believe and how I respond to life situations. This is a key principle in how I work with people.  We all grow up with messages that we believe about ourselves and life.  Some of these messages have been planted deep within wounds, some from family and friends, and others from our own selves.  Often, we are responding to life situations in ways that don’t even make sense to us because we are unaware of the life messages that are operating within us.  I work to partner with clients to identify faulty messages, create new beliefs that are consistent with life values, and work through any emotional pain that is woven through your story.