MY STORY...
Throughout high school, I wanted to be a writer. I won essay contests, wrote (bad) poetry, and won all sorts of accolades, and then I failed my first college English test so abysmally that I dropped that class, switched majors, and somehow ended up with an undergrad degree in Religious Studies with an emphasis in Art History. As much as I loved my studies, I had no idea what I wanted to do with it. I ended up moving to the luscious coffee-fueled paradise that is Seattle and ended up with a graduate degree in theology and ministry (because, hey, why not?). When I moved back home to Texas to become a minister, it was like botching that college English exam all over again. I failed miserably at it, and I had to figure out something else. I realized I had never really done the hard work of discovering who I was. Living in that limbo of feeling like I lacked a real identity was excruciating. It caused all kinds of heartache, poor decisions, and big time anxiety. Doing my own therapy work helped A LOT with that. I knew stuff I liked: music, art, books, and helping people, but I had never figured out the “so what” that brought all those pieces together until a professor basically made me enroll into counseling classes. This was the start to a new formation of my identity which has now become an integral part of who I am as a whole. I get to use my authentic characteristics of being a listener, a question asker, a reconciler, and a story maker to help others create the lives they want, change things that need changing, and fulfill unmet dreams and desires.
MY CREDENTIALS & THERAPEUTIC INTERESTS...
I completed my Master of Counseling degree in 2014 where I was extremely lucky to study with a very diverse team of professors and student body and was named the Outstanding Student in Counseling of my graduating class. I later completed the work to become a Licensed Professional Counselor, having worked with a broad range of clients from the most severe emotional struggles to private practice and hospice grief care.
I gravitate toward an integrated approach to therapy that includes Person-Centered work as foundational, meaning that its all about the trusting and non-judgmental alliance we form as therapist and client. Given my love of writing, I find Narrative Therapy extremely helpful in clarifying your values, beliefs, and skills to effectively face problems you encounter. It puts you as the expert and storyteller of your own life. I also integrate a good bit of Mindfulness and CBT/ACT work to bring you as fully present to yourself as possible.
While my primary training has been in grief and bereavement work, I love working with a wide variety of clients including folks dealing with depression, anxiety/panic, issues of identity and self-exploration, LGBTQ+ issues, alternative sexual expression, and creative types. Whatever things you hope to explore about yourself, I’m ready to dive in together!