I am a Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner and a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor. I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education and a Master of Science in Education Degree. My course of study provided the qualifications for School Counseling Grades K–12 and community counseling.

As a teacher and a counselor, I worked with children, their families, and their schools in dealing with trauma, anxiety, and mood disorders. Some of the students experienced learning disabilities or intellectual disabilities. Many were diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and Conduct Disorder, and a few were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

In community counseling, I gained experience working with adults who suffered from severe, persistent mental illness and substance use disorders. I was trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) as a therapy technique to assist individuals experiencing the effects of trauma. My experience also included providing education, advocacy, support, and group facilitation for men, women, and children of diverse backgrounds affected by family violence and sexual assault. In this capacity, I had the opportunity to work with perpetrators as well as victims. Additionally, I worked in a Therapeutic Community/Treatment Group Home for females ages 17 to 25 in mental health and substance use recovery.

Most recently, I was with Probation as a Treatment Officer and later as a supervisor. The individuals we served had been convicted of various crimes, and many of those individuals also struggled with substance use and mental health.

The unit I supervised specialized in working with domestic violence and harmful sexual behavior. I was a trainer at the state level for probation officers in motivational interviewing, evidence-based practice, trauma and resiliency, working with victims of crime, assessments of static and dynamic risk factors for adult sexual offenders, case management, and moral reconation therapy for adult sexual offenders.

Partnering with individuals to build a mutually respectful and non-judgmental therapeutic relationship is the foundation of recovery and successful behavior change.

Away from the office, I enjoy reading, movies, dinner with family and friends, and traveling. Two of my favorite companions happen to be cats. I enjoy them even when they are naughty.