"I have learned that trauma and family problems are two of the biggest contributors to unhelpful behaviors and beliefs that challenge our daily functioning, preventing us from flourishing. Sorting it out can be difficult, like untangling a bowl of spaghetti, but we can make sense of our lives and discover that the path we desire is the path we should walk. Therapy can help us identify our strengths and give us the courage to take steps in the right direction.

I decided to become a counselor after teaching for five years at a college of art and design. While teaching, I met adolescents and young adults who struggled with common issues that felt insurmountable, often leading them to drop out of school. Realizing their problems were a normal part of their development, I wanted to become qualified to help them see they had the power to work through their struggles and keep the path toward their desired future.

I entered graduate school at the age of 44 and spent my practicum and internships working with severely mentally ill adults, individuals in medication-assisted recovery, and college students. After graduating, I returned to the art college where I had taught and became their resident therapist for four years. I also spent nearly a year working as an inpatient therapist at a mental health hospital.