Specialty Areas

Thinking outside of one’s circumstances to gain deeper meaning often times helps clients gain perspective and reframe their thinking and begin to shift their lives in a new direction. You are not alone and we serve a God who cares deeply about you.  Many of my clients who have sought out faith-based counseling have greatly benefited from the power of prayer for support and leaning into Biblical scripture and principles for guidance to overcome challenges. Surrendering our situation to God while getting the support we need can have positive, long-standing implications in learning to trust that with Him, we can overcome our greatest challenges and gain strength to move forward despite adversity.

Many people struggle as adults due to issues stemming from childhood family of origin issues that continue to show up in our adult relationships or from a series of unhealthy adult relationships that wall us off emotionally.  Trauma can be due to repeated and long-standing emotional, mental, physical, religious, or narcisstic abuse that negatively impacts a person’s psyche and sense of belonging and self-worth. Sometimes, a single traumatic event can leave us feeling psychologically shattered and unable to move on. Through focusing on self-compassion and healing the wounded part that is stuck, we can work together to get you to heal from your past hurts and fully embrace your present life.

Grief and loss are unfortunately inevitable parts of life. The love we have for someone, whether that be a relationship with a person or pet speaks to the immense level of grief that is felt during loss, expected or unexpected. Sometimes we even grieve the loss of a dream that never come to fruition and leaves us feeling empty. I have helped clients learn to not just get through each day, but slowly begin to move forward one step at a time. Grief feels like a heavy fog that you doubt will ever lift. Let me help you work through the immense emotions you are feeling to start seeing sunnier days ahead.

Change can feel exhilarating or it can feel overwhelming and leave us feeling paralyzed, not knowing where to begin. Navigating a situation that takes us to a new horizon can bring up all sorts of emotions. Perhaps you have found yourself dealing with a situation that has led you to experience a great deal of uncertainty and feelings of overwhelm. This could be something you thought about or something you never imagined. I can help you learn to stay present to handle a variety of life transitions, so you feel grounded in the midst of  new, shifting circumstances.

We are meant to live life in community, not isolation. To feel safe and loved in our relationships to the fullest we have to honor our truth, respect ourselves, treat others well, and set healthy boundaries. Sometimes, we are left feeling completely undervalued, frustrated or overwhelmed. All relationships take time, effort, and a willingness to work through challenges for ourselves and those around us. I can support you with getting past struggles due to relational conflict or attachment issues that you might unknowingly carry so you can attract and maintain healthy relationships.

We all feel sad from time to time, but if you are finding yourself unable to function, feeling like a dark cloud is following you daily and doing small things each day feels like walking with cement blocks on your feet, you may be dealing with depression. Depression comes to visit us all at times, but it does not have to stay. With the right tools to stop thoughts that lead to depression and reframe them into healthier, more beneficial thoughts and learning to cultivate self-compassion, you can learn to deal with depression in an empowered way, so your days are not robbed of joy, peace, and vitality. Instead, you can live each day with clarity and contentment. 

At one point or another, we all suffer from anxiety that makes us feeling off kilter at the very least or psychologically paralyzed and unable to live a fulfilling life at best. Anxiety can be situational or it can feel more pervasive. We may just consider it our “normal” to live each day like this and just deal with it. I can help you alleviate your current symptoms and help your nervous system start to regulate into a state of tranquility and relaxation. I will teach you strategies and give you tools to help you find calm in the midst of storms through self-soothing, somatic techniques, and awareness strategies for reframing anxious thoughts. 

With two decades of experience in education, I know the triumphs and challenges that teachers and administrators face as they selflessly serve their school and community with a servant heart. Educators are near and dear to my heart. Education is  a noble and honorable profession, yet often-times leaves little room for self-care due to the many demands educators face.  You might be feeling the signs of burn out and need support in regaining your energy and motivation. You might also need support in setting boundaries to avoid your plate being so full, leaving no room for you and your needs. I work with educators to get back to a place of optimal wellbeing as they continue to care for others.

Being the first person in your family to be born and raised in the United States comes with many celebrations and challenges. You may be the first person in your family to become a United States citizen, go to college in the United States, and navigate United States cultural and societal differences from your parents and extended family. All of these experiences can leave you feeling proud to be a pioneer of many firsts, but also struggling at times to know where you fit in. Counseling can help you clarify your unique identify and forge a new path that combines aspects of yourself that make you who you are. You can still be all that makes you wonderfully you, honoring your heritage, your special upbringing and life narrative, and your hopes, desires, and dreams.

We honor those who are called to serve and choose to risk their lives for others. They often witness and endure unspeakable situations and circumstances that bottle up inside. The unique challenges faced by those on the front lines often leads to feelings of isolation, loneliness, depression, anxiety, and unprocessed trauma. Counseling can provide you with a safe space to process your inner most thoughts, emotions, and fears to start to feel more balanced again. Through modalities like CBT, EMDR, and IFS, you can begin to feel whole again, no longer trying to dodge uncomfortable emotions that arise when you least expect it.