Education, training, and counseling experience
My educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Child Development as well as a Master of Arts degree in Marriage and Family Therapy.
I have extensive training in various modalities. Whether it’s helping you and your partner improve communication and strengthen your bond, assist your family to resolve conflict and rebuild relationships, facilitate a group process or work individually with you to process past or current trauma, I am committed to your growth and healing.
I believe in the importance of ongoing learning and professional development to continuously refine my therapeutic skills and provide the highest quality of care. And as stated above I simply love to learn! I do not take it lightly that you are choosing me to walk through a bit of your journey, it is an honor and a privilege.
I have trained and am proficient in EMDR, brainspotting, experiential therapy, psychodrama, somatic experiencing, attachment theory, the developmental model for couples, and Gottman methods.
To further my skills, I trained with The Gottman Institute, The Couples Institute, The Action Institute of California and Onsite Workshops Training.
The Gottman Method is a well-known approach to couples therapy based on over four decades of research by Drs. John and Julie Gottman. I am trained in levels 1 and 2 in which I learned advanced techniques for assessing and working with couples, focusing on interventions to strengthen relationships and resolve conflicts.
The Couples Institute offers comprehensive training in couples therapy. This model utilizes a developmental approach to understanding relationships and provides practical tools for fostering growth, resilience and intimacy. Further, by recognizing the stages of development and the challenges of each stage, couples learn to navigate the inevitable conflict in any relationship. Each person learns a set of tools that can be applied to any relationship in their life.
I was employed at the reputable practice of Relationship 180; I trained under the guidance of Milan Yerkovich, author of How We Love. While working at Relationship 180, I deepened my understanding of attachment theory and how early attachment wounds contribute to hurtful patterns in adult relationships.
Furthermore, my training with the Action Institute of California has equipped me with valuable additional skills and techniques. I have trained extensively in experiential and psychodrama methods. Neurobiology research indicates that much of our memory is buried in parts of our brain and body that are not easily accessed by talk or thought. Action and somatic methods are instrumental to reaching those memories. Working with experiential methods my goal is to help you heal trauma and promote positive change and resilience.
As a guide at the prestigious Onsite Workshops in Tennessee and California, I lead intensive therapy sessions and group workshops. Intensive counseling is a form of psychotherapy that involves more frequent, longer sessions over a shorter period. Participants in the Onsite Workshops engage actively in the learning process through outdoor activities, group exercises, and psychodrama. By continuously refining my techniques and staying updated on best practices, I ensure that each workshop is impactful and relevant to participants' needs.
I consider the honor of hearing your story a sacred space. I look forward to connecting with you and working on life’s messiness, beauty and adventure together.