About Me

I have my own set of lived experiences, but primarily, I’m a fellow traveler on this human journey.

I’ve been shaped by profound relationships, including partnership and motherhood, church-based/religious experiences, my personal spiritual journey, and by years of holding space for people who are healing their minds and tending to their hearts.

I’ve done a lot of personal and professional learning related to mental health, trauma, relational health, mindfulness, and spirituality.

I completed my graduate degree in counseling in 2013 and went on to work in a range of mental health settings, including residential treatment and outpatient clinics. Eventually, I opened my private therapy practice, where I worked with clients navigating anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic symptoms.

Prior to graduate school, in need of relief and space to make sense of my life, my decisions, and the pain I was in, I had begun my own therapy journey. I was surprised at how generative and healing my sessions were, and I wondered about the mechanics of the process — how exactly this relationship with a kind, smart stranger was helping me… because it clearly was. The genuine, skillful support of another human helped me find courage to face what was noisy inside me, and I began to integrate my painful experiences and find new perspectives. I discovered new ways of relating to myself, others, and life itself. Openings. I felt more free, less pressured, more myself and more present in life.

That inner journey continues for me, and I continue to be deeply curious about and enlivened by the ‘how’ of our inner lives… what supports humans feeling well and whole, experiencing congruent, authentic lives - and in particular, the role of helping relationships in nurturing that. I’m so thankful to have wise and skillful support along the way, and I continue to live out those questions.

((I’m interested in the intersection of spirituality, trauma healing, and identity, with a particular focus on the lives of spiritual/religious leaders. I believe that the systems many leaders are part of may unconsciously not offer leaders a truly safe, neutral space to be human, and be supported and known in their humanness. I don’t believe this is intentional on the system’s part, but I do believe that coming to see this blind spot is really important, both for the health of our leaders and their communities. My years of working one on one with people, as well as my own personal journey taught me that neutral space is essential for authentic connection and authentic change. I want to contribute to a world where those who take on the sacred task of guiding others spiritually also have access to skillful support for themselves.))

I grew up in Iowa and attended an evangelical church throughout my childhood. I went on to Bible college for the first two years of my bachelor’s degree, after which I married and moved to another state to attend another Christian college. I had my two sons in my early twenties and was lucky enough to be able to be home with with them for much of their early lives. I then worked in education and bopped around trying to figure out what I wanted to do professionally, which included completing a year of law school at Arizona State as my thirties approached. A divorce and some deeply painful experiences around that time were the catalysts for starting therapy in my early thirties. I had been diving into literature from the Jungian/depth psychology tradition on my own for years, but I was astounded by how transformative the experience of intentional relational support actually was, especially from a depth-oriented perspective. I was inspired by how much it had helped me, and it motivated me to pursue my masters degree in counseling. I also discovered yoga around this time, and found it to be another great support for me. It helped me quiet my mind and connect with my body. I later completed yoga teacher training. I continue to practice yoga regularly.

I’m fascinated by the science and spirituality of connection, and the power of the human heart. I’m moved by the healing power and inherent sacredness in genuine relational presence. We are discovering more and more just how interconnected all of life is. I can’t wait for us to learn and experience more about this.

I love being in nature, experiencing music, sharing food, and being with people I love.

One of my gifts has been to take life and the big questions seriously… and so, of course, one of my areas of growth is learning the opposite: to not to take it all so seriously :) I’m very thankful for all the humor in my life today!

Thank you for reading about my journey. Here’s to our shared humanity, and the journey we’re all on together! If I can be of help as you navigate yours, please reach out.