Wife, Mother, Friend, Daughter, and Nurturer of Souls.
“There is a voice in each of us that is unburdened by fear and untouched by insecurity, that has utter calm, that emanates love for oneself and others, and that knows exactly who we would be if we were brave enough to show up as our true selves.”
Tara Mohr, Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create, and Lead
A little about me and my view of Therapy
I am naturally curious about others; I am fulfilled by listening, discovering, and understanding other’s stories. This innate draw and desire for connection is what brought me to connect with therapy as a vocation. I’ve noticed in life that when our hurts remain buried, hidden, or even denied, the wound not only doesn’t go away, it seems to wreak havoc and invade other areas. Feelings such as hurt, grief, sadness, anger, abandonment, or betrayal are most often not appeased by time; they require acknowledgment, validation, and meaning-making to move past. As a Marriage and Family Therapist my education and background provide me with tools to walk alongside of others in challenging seasons of life. You may be in crisis, or have neglected to appropriately process past trauma, burdens, or hurts and come to believe that revisiting experiences from the past may be the prescription for future freedom. I believe therapy is collaborative; one is not a consumer of therapy, but an active participant.
I utilize a strengths and compassion-focused, attachment lens when thinking about treatment planning. I integrate or employ a systems perspective and use Bowen Therapy, Emotionally Focused, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Existential approaches.
My Story:
I am a wife and partner of twenty six years, a mother of three children, ages 22, 20, and 15, and a proud ‘second choice human’ of our Boston Terrier named Finn. I have been a stay-at-home mom and a working mom and continue to learn and grow how to best love and support my amazing kids. My husband and I enjoy exploring new areas/cultures through travel and food. Our recent family vacations have been focused around visiting National Parks. My favorite self-care treat is sitting in the sun with a riveting fiction novel, drinking a mocha over a deep conversation, or dreaming of where to take our next vacation. Spirituality is a part of my worldview and I wrestle with how to authentically live-out my faith in a complex world. I would describe myself as a warm, connecting-focused introvert who doesn’t like to be the center of attention, and finds an intimate conversation with another what fills my soul.
Yosemite National Park
Half Dome, Yosemite National Park
Olympic National Park
Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
Conifer, Colorado
Rocky Mountain National Park
WHAT IS THERAPY AND WHY DOES IT WORK?
Dr. Bruce Perry beautifully states, “Fire can warm or consume, water can quench or drown, wind can caress or cut. And so it is with human relationships: we can both create and destroy, nurture and terrorize, traumatize and heal each other.” It is my belief and my experience that it is through a healthy, safe, attachment with others, where we can examine our past, our present and be hopeful in our future, that we can make-sense-of and grapple with wounds. As humans we long for connection and belonging, needing to matter in this world, and our efforts to have meaning. We often get trapped in snares such as guilt, shame, un-expressed anger, or attachment ruptures that change us and we become stuck. We desire to move-past and we’ve willed ourselves to keep going — and yet, we feel cemented to past experiences and trauma. We wholeheartedly long to connect with our partner, attend to our children, friends, and family while being fully present — and feel like we’re failing. Whether it’s working on yourself, your relationships with a partner, or a family dynamic that has spun into a place you never wanted to be, we can explore…discover…find understanding…make-sense-of…find new solutions for…refocus priorities…and lean into compassion, kindness and connection.
“People who wade into discomfort and vulnerability and tell the truth about their stories are the real badasses.”
Brené Brown, Rising Strong