Qualifications & Experience

I have a Master’s in Counseling and Psychology from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology and a Bachelor’s in Early Childhood and Family Studies from University of Washington in Seattle. I am also a Substance Use Disorder Professional Trainee (SUDPT).

My Call to Christian Counseling

I do not want anyone to walk through this life alone. As I have known restoration and healing from God in my own life, my desire is to use my training and experience, with God’s help and direction, to lead people out of darkness in to the light of Christ.

More About Me/On a Personal Note

I enjoy being outdoors in nature, kayaking, hiking, and walking along the water. I also enjoy cooking, learning new things, and listening to worship music. I love being a part of Celebrate Recovery and have been a leader for a year. I also love attending church and building my relationship with God.

Areas of Expertise/Specialties

• Abandonment and Neglect
• Anger Management
• Anxiety
• Bipolar Disorder
• Chemical Dependency
• Codependency
• Depression
• Eating Disorders
• Grief and Loss
• Individual Counseling
• Online Counseling
• Personal Development
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Relationship Issues
• Sexual Abuse
• Spiritual Development
• Trauma
• Women’s Issues

Anxiety and Depression

Oftentimes we live our daily lives distracting, avoiding, or numbing. When this happens, anxiety and depression are trying to communicate something to us: they want us to pay attention to them. Our thoughts and emotions do a good job trying to communicate that there is something not aligning here. When we suppress our emotions, we may experience depression. When we have worrisome or fearful thoughts, we may experience anxiety.

As your counselor, I work to hold a safe space to explore destructive thought patterns, listen, and validate the emotions we learn to become more curious about what our body is trying to communicate. After processing and recognizing thought patterns that have been creating anxiety/depression, evidence-based practices such as CBT or DBT will help disrupt old patterns of thinking. The important part of this work is to replace old patterns with who God says you are. Working on a new script to play over and over again in your mind will take time, but it is so worth it! True transformation can happen through God who strengthens us.

Chemical Dependency and Addiction

I believe addiction is rooted from emotional pain and unmet needs. As Canadian physician Gabor Mate once asked, “The first question isn’t why the addiction; it’s why the pain?” Working with attachment theory and processing adverse childhood experiences can help identify ways in which addictive behaviors offer short-term benefits and long-term costs, making it difficult to actually meet underlying needs. When we begin to process the pain or emotional unmet need, we begin to become more aligned with our sense of identity – the identity rooted in who God says you are. Looking to God as our Healer, believing you are set free and knowing who you are in Christ is the foundation of breaking the chains of addictive behaviors.

Abandonment and Neglect

Emotional abuse has far more of an impact on us than we realize. Being abandoned or neglected emotionally will have a long-lasting imprint on our identity. The effects on one’s sense of self may include low self-esteem, lack or self-confidence, acting out sexually, loneliness, failure syndrome, perfectionism, shame, unrealistic guilt, or unresolved anger or resentment. Physical effects may include addictions, depression, anxiety, digestive disturbances, panic attacks, unexplained physical pain, or eating disorders. Effects on relationships may include a lack of intimate relationships, codependency, inappropriate relationships, isolation from others, or excessive compliance or passivity. Together we will work to target the root cause so the effects on your sense of self is growing toward how God originally designed you to be – free from the impacts of emotional abuse.

Trauma and PTSD

When we experience trauma, the mind and body become disconnected. Dissociation happens to protect ourselves and later we may experience a disconnect with ourselves and others. Together in session we will work to integrate the mind and body through movement. I believe ecotherapy, walking in nature and exploring new activities together, will support the healing process. Healing the inner child is one direction to integrate the wounded parts of our story. As you begin to tell your story, I will provide a safe presence and join in the heartache as you begin to process your pain. Our bodies hold the trauma; when we begin to voice and name the heartache and pain in ways our younger self was unable to do, the inner child begins to feel seen and heard. I believe a huge part of healing is tending to our inner child and creating places for the inner child to feel seen and heard, and offering the space to be the authentic self.

Sessions:

I offer 53-minute sessions. Sessions can be held more than once per week, weekly, or every other week. Scheduling options are discussed in greater detail during your Risk-Free Initial Session.

Availability (by office location):

• Edmonds – Friday
• Bothell – Saturday
• Online (WA only) – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday

Fees: I offer a Risk-Free Initial Session for individuals, and groups looking to pursue counseling with me. Please note that there is a fee for the Risk-Free Initial Session as it is a clinical hour and reimbursable to most insurance companies, but if you choose not to reschedule and continue therapy after the initial session the entire fee for the session will be waived. For ongoing treatment the full fee per session is required at the time of service.

Insurance: As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHCA), some insurance companies will reimburse for a portion of my services (as an Out of Network Provider). Please consult with your insurance provider as to whether they specifically cover adolescents, and individuals.

Receipts/Statements: In the event you require a printed or digital receipt, I will provide receipts for personal use, insurance reimbursement, Flex Spending Accounts (FSA), and Health Savings Accounts (HSA).

Payment options: Cash, Check, or Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, & American Express). A fee of up to 4% per transaction will be added for credit card payments.