What is your counseling style? 

I'm a warm, relationtial person who will shoot you straight and ask you lots of questions to help you find the answers you need. I'm an educator and I'll always have information ready to share with you. I'm a squeaky wheel who will advocate for you and help you figure out what you need. I believe you're the expert on your own life and my goal is to help you find the confidence to believe that for yourself. 

I will say the thing out loud so you don't have to - whether that is asking if what we're doing is working, if you need to try something else, how you feel about our working relationship, what microaggressions you've been dealing with lately, or how you really feel about the issue you're trying to avoid. My clients and I laugh a lot at ourselves and at the absurdity of life - to help process it all. Your whole self - tears, annoyance, pushback, sarcasm, dark humor, quirks + all - is welcome in session with me. 

Why should I try counseling? 

Mental and emotional health matter so much to our wholeness as individuals. We do not need to walk alone. Kindness and respect are the most important facets of relationships and building a safe relationship with a counselor who accepts you, regardless of your beliefs, orientation, or cultural circumstances, can provide deep healing.

When we learn about how our brains work, how we're wired to relate to each other, and how our lifelong beliefs and patterns affect us today, we can move out of the places we are stuck and hurting. 

For years I was lonely, anxious, and couldn't say no. It took working with several different therapists to understand what the root of my pain was. Therapy is working with a guide who can walk through your challenges with you, helping you achieve your mental health goals and hopes.

Will we just spend time rehashing my childhood and blaming my family?

The goal of counseling should not be to talk about the past just for the sake of it, but to unlearn patterns of harm in our lives and relearn how to accept our full selves - our emotions, our needs, and who we are as individuals. Often, revisiting the past helps with this goal. But it's with the hope that we'll be able to accept and move on from the pain in our past. In our sessions, we will only revisit memories when you feel safe + ready to do so. 

Our primary relationships with our caregivers are crucial in shaping us, so exploring the ways that our needs may not have been met in the past can help us learn how to nurture ourselves in the present. Parents can do the best they can and still not meet all of our needs. Counseling can help us move through the pain we are still carrying from the past. 

Do you take insurance? 

Right now, I only take out of pocket cash pay. Initial intake sessions are $100 and regular counseling sessions are $65. 

Do you have an office space? 

As I develop my business and get started in the counseling field, and navigate parenting my tweens at the same time, I am only seeing clients via telehealth. We use an online portal called Simple Practice that is simple and secure to use. While telehealth is not for everyone, I seek to provide a warm and accepting space regardless of the video format. You're welcome to give it a try through a free consultation to see if it's a good fit for you.

What's your story? Why are you a counselor? 

I grew up as a fundamentalist Christian who experienced my share of complex trauma and have found deep healing through my relationships with various counselors, in sessions, and through their educational work in books and podcasts. I have a deep understanding of personalities, relational dynamics, and people's needs. I think that many of us struggle because we haven't even been taught how to feel our feelings or navigate relationships well. I'm a bit of a nerd and I've become a counselor to help educate people on these things and help them experience emotions in a safe space. 

Are you a Christian counselor? 

The short answer? No. I am in training as a clinical mental health counselor.

The long answer? Because of my background and current faith values, I am comfortable if clients want to bring faith (I welcome any faith) into our sessions. However, I will never bring it up myself, and I will never judge anyone for their beliefs or impose anything I believe on others. I am committed to helping people who have suffered trauma at the hands of religion and spiritual systems. This may mean talking about it in session, and I'm here for that. Our spiritual values often shape our mental health and are welcome in session.