About Me

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist providing services to military families through Leidos as a Child & Youth Behavioral Military Family Life Counselor. In the past, I have worked in private practice settings with children, individuals, and families, a milieu setting with foster youth, and in a residential setting for individuals in crisis. My volunteer work has been with military service members and veterans in recovery through Give An Hour, SMART Recovery groups, and the American Red Cross. I have had the opportunity to understand both private and county health care systems and have worked with many relational and mental health issues including trauma, grief, depression, anxiety, and addictions. My theoretical orientation is primarily based in family systems modalities, including pets, as well as the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model of EMDR Therapy. My therapeutic approach is with a trauma-informed and attachment-based perspective and incorporates animals or pets when appropriate, mindfulness, and somatic practices. I am a Certified Animal Assisted Psychotherapist and a Certified Animal Assisted Intervention Specialist. I am also trained in EMDR Therapy and SMART Recovery. When working with couples my framework is that of Relational Life Therapy. I care deeply about creating a world where ALL beings thrive, and where individuals and families can find ways to build upon their strengths and access their innate drives to connect.