Like so many people, I sometimes fall into thinking that “Things will be better when…,” “If I only had…,” and “I wish I was more like….”  Although it is tempting and easy to do, the end result of thinking this way is consistent disappointment, critical self-talk, feelings of not being “enough,” and hopelessness. Sure those thoughts can be a powerful motivator for a time, but soon they begin to wear on our souls.  Our patience drops, we snap at loved ones, we forget to acknowledge all we have in efforts to achieve more, and the emptiness creeps in.  The irony is that we create these circumstances unknowingly and become captive to our misplaced hopes and desires.  We live this way in secret, pretending that all is well; hoping that no one sees between the gaps.  

Just as we create these circumstances, however, we have the power to break out and redefine our lives in meaningful ways.  Helping people do this is my passion.  My therapeutic approach is warm, curious, and centered around noticing and describing patterns to assist in the discovery of your values.  Once values are established and well-defined, it creates space for exploration and hope.  With regular practice of hope we build the skills to accept unfavorable circumstances, increase openness to new opportunities, and expand the horizon of our imagination of what is “possible.” 

I have dedicated my research to the study of hope; how we define it, how to sustain it, and how to foster hope-filled lives.  Hope is so much more than a wish or a pretty scripted word on a wall.  Hope has teeth.  It is strongest when we feel weak and calls us to both participation and relinquishment simultaneously. 

I would like to walk alongside you as you discover your values and the root of your hope.  If what is written here strikes a chord, please call and let’s have a conversation to see if this existential-based approach fits for you.  There is so much in you and in the world that is waiting to be explored.  Where will you start? 

Education: 

• BA in Communication Studies, Interpersonal Communication Emphasis

• MA in Family Studies

• MA in Family Psychology

• PsyD in Clinical Psychology, Consultation Specialty

Relevant Courses Taught: 

• Gender Communication

• Interpersonal Communication 

• Interdisciplinary Integration and Psychotherapy

Research: 

• Dissertation: A Deconstructed Journey of Hope Through Brokenness

• Social Ethics Advocacy: The Social Ethics of Beauty

• Masters Thesis: Rethinking Beauty: A Movement from Isolation to Connection

Experience contributing to clinical therapy practice: Worked with children in schools and those who were survivors of childhood abuse and trauma, adolescents and adults at a rape crisis center and on-campus college walk-in support, adolescents and adults with eating disorders at the PHP/IOP level of care, adolescents and adults in IOP treatment for depression and anxiety, severely and persistently mentally ill adults in a forensic setting, and young adults in wrap-around services for mental health.

Advanced clinical training: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for a variety of mental health concerns and disorders.  

Treatment Specializations: 

• Identity Formation

• Existential Psychotherapy

• Life Transitions

• Values-Based 

• Meaning-making