About Me
Personal (and a bit of Professional)
I was born and raised a Kansas Jayhawk and after a one-year stint in New Jersey and six years in Colorado, I landed in the eclectic rural town of Canadian, Texas. It was there that I opened my first practice while also becoming a wife to Ben and a mother to our three beautiful girls. Creating a nurturing home for family and friends is a priority I am always eager to live out. Ben and I value being involved in the community, gathering people in our home, and investing whole-heartedly in the raising of our daughters.
Over 10 years time in Canadian, my solo practice grew into a group practice and together, we served over 900 clients and provided over 5,500 hours of counseling to those in Canadian and surrounding communities. I sold that practice to the local hospital in order to merge our efforts in becoming a hub for mental health services in the Texas Panhandle. In 2023, the Lord called our family to step out of our comfort zone and leave the familiarities of our small town. Doors were opened, my Oklahoma license was granted, and our family couldn't be more excited for what God has in store for us in Edmond, Oklahoma! We're (re)learning the ropes of city life (hello grocery pickup and next-day Amazon deliveries!) while walking the tender road of leaving behind friends that were family, and opening our hearts to new opportunities and relationships. The phrase "choose your hard" is frequently contemplated in our home. It's hard to do new things, but it's also hard to live out stubbornness when God is leading you down a new path. This rings true in my work with clients as well. It's hard to reach out for help, to voice past trauma, and to acknowledge our shortcomings. It's also hard to stay in the same cycle of pain day in and day out. My desire as a counselor is to walk alongside my clients in their efforts toward healing. Together, we will bring your innate strengths to the surface and identify practical ways to have peace amidst the inevitable waves of pain that life brings.
Professional Background
I received my bachelor degree from the University of Kansas and my Masters in Counseling from Colorado Christian University. I was fortunate to begin my career in the fast-paced, and ever-changing, Psychiatric Units. I worked on the adult, geriatric, and child/adolescent units providing individual sessions, group therapy, and everything in between. Within these units, I was able to see symptoms that one will rarely see on the outside. I value my time with those clients as they helped me gain a broader understanding for the practicalities of symptoms and cases that had only been textbook up to that point. During these early years, I also worked at a private practice providing mandated counseling for those on probation and parole. I led and co-led therapy for those with DUI's, alcohol and drug addiction, and repeat offenders within the legal system. I also provided sex-offender treatment, court-ordered mental health evaluations in the local jails, and implemented an Employment Resources Program to help our clients find and maintain employment.
Upon moving to Texas and opening my private practice, I grew to need additional LPCs to work alongside me. I enjoyed managing the business and overseeing employees while maintaining my own caseload of clients. I became trained in Restoration Therapy, EMDR, and also became a licensed Supervisor in order to provide required supervision to recent graduates. I started a collaborative approach to mental health care within local school districts by sending counselors to do in-person sessions on school campuses each week. I also enjoyed developing relationships with local pastors and business owners in order to provide clinical counseling for congregants and employees, respectively. From my upbringing in the local Church, I have an intimate understanding of the demands and dynamics a family in ministry faces, and working with these individuals to create balance and restoration is a joy in my life.
Upon moving to our current town of Edmond, I began providing virtual counseling in order to continue with current and future Texas clients, while also gaining new clients in Oklahoma. I will continue to offer services virtually for now, and have come to enjoy the ease it provides for clients while maintaining high-quality care and connection.