About

I come from a close-knit family and, as the second of four girls, my sisters are my sunshine.  I am an artist at heart and met my husband eight years ago at an audition for a play.  I obtained a bachelor’s degree in Intercultural Studies from Biola University in 2009 and completed my undergraduate internship in Uganda.  I recently completed my Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Grand Canyon University.

 

My interest in counseling was born from summers spent volunteering at a camp for foster children.  I saw children who, as a result of abuse and neglect, experienced a corrupted sense of identity.  Many of them felt worthless, unlovable and hopeless. I saw similar patterns in my work as a Behavioral Health Technician, providing respite care for teenagers with behavioral health diagnoses.  I truly believe that all people are valuable and worthy of love, respect and dignity and it became my mission to help those who are hurting reclaim their inherent value and recover a strong personal identity.

  

These experiences sparked a curiosity about the mind; if it can be impacted by negative experiences, it must also be possible to restore the mind to wholeness through the impact of healing experiences.  While working toward my Master’s degree , I had an instantiable desire to better educate myself on trauma treatment.  I  voraciously  consumed all manner of education and training on the neurobiology of trauma, trauma and attachment, the impact of childhood trauma and proven methods that help people heal.  

 

Trauma has a way of distorting our view of ourselves and our view of the world.  It wreaks havoc on our identity, our self-esteem, our ability to cope and to just live life. Through my own heartbreak and challenges, I have found Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) to be powerful tools in not only the processing of trauma but in reconnecting us to our core Self and in the reprograming of fear based thinking that comes in the wake of trauma. 

 

Outside of work, I enjoy anything creative.  I have been acting since I was three years old and have a deep love of classical theatre and Shakespeare.   My love of theatre has given me a deep appreciation for stories, and I cherish the opportunity to listen to the life stories of the clients I work with.