About Me…
“The spontaneous movement in all of us is toward connection and health and aliveness .  No matter how withdrawn and isolating we have become, or how serious the trauma we have experienced, on the deepest level, just as a plant spontaneously moves towards the sun, there is in each of us an impulse moving toward connection.” Heller & LaPierre

As a Licensed Professional Counselor, my desire is to create a safe, curious, compassionate and collaborative space to support clients in exploration of who they are authentically created to be towards “connection, health, and aliveness.”  I consider it a true honor to walk with clients as they do the personal work of exploring what might be getting in the way of true connection to God, self and others; as well as, what it is they truly want for themselves as a living, breathing, imperfect, subjective human being.  

  

What You Can Expect…
I primarily work with attachment, relational, and developmental trauma through the lens of The NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM).  NARM is a non-regressive, body-mind based psychotherapy designed to support healing around the impact of complex trauma.  Complex trauma can cause a wide range of symptoms such as physiological limitations, difficulty regulating emotions, issues with identity, and difficulty forming and maintaining healthy relationships.  NARM utilizes mindful inquiry geared towards supporting nervous system regulation and exploring our adaptations to trauma that may have been incredibly supportive and even necessary for survival at one time, but now may be creating limitations to our present life that do not align with what we truly want for ourselves.  NARM supports clients in exploration and movement towards this increased capacity for self-regulation, connection and aliveness. 

 

I also utilize EMDR therapy to support clients in healing from disturbing symptoms and emotional distress associated with specific traumatic memories.  EMDR employs bilateral stimulation (visual, auditory or tactile stimuli that occurs in a rhythmic right-left pattern) to anchor clients in the present moment while recalling the memory.  In a structured, kind, and grounded space, EMDR therapy provides the framework for facilitating access to the traumatic memory network and safely processing the information associated with that memory so that new associations are forged - creating space for adaptive memories and information that compassionately support new learning, elimination of emotional distress, and formation of new cognitive insights.  

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Credentials & Education…

• Bachelor of Science in Education from Samford University

• Master of Arts in Education from The University of Alabama at Birmingham


• Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health from The University of Montevallo


• Licensed Professional Counselor - Supervisor
(License #3603)

• National Certified Counselor


• Certified EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) Therapist


• Certified NARM (NeuroAffective Relational Model) Master Therapist 


• Certified Clinical Trauma Professional


• Certified Experiential Therapist - Level 1


• IASIS MicroCurrent Neurofeedback Certified Provider


• Certified Early Childhood & Elementary Teacher

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Specialties…..

Complex Trauma / PTSD
Relationship Issues
Spiritual / Relational Abuse
Grief / Loss

Anxiety / Depression

Identity Development

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A Bit About Me

Outside of counseling, I enjoy spending time with family and friends in any capacity when there’s good conversation and connection.  Music makes my world go around and if I can combine that with a windows-down-drive or a good run then I’m set!  I’m not a devout runner but I’ve learned that I can do it (much to my surprise!) and there’s a way that I feel more grounded when I’m done.  I enjoy being on a mountain bike trail with my favorite people, and my “happy place” is anytime I can be on the water or in the mountains.  

Although teaching was my first career (and one I really loved), becoming a counselor was something that has been a deep desire for as far back as I can remember even beginning consider what I might want to do “when I grow up.”  My heart has always been drawn towards truly knowing and seeing people through the lens of curiosity and without judgement as it that was the very thing I wanted for myself.  Hindsight, I believe God knew I was not ready to sit with people right outside of high school/college for a multitude of reasons, but primarily I now see the necessity of ongoing personal work that supports me in being authentically present both with my own humanity, as well as others. I love my job and am thankful to be doing this for a living!