Most clients seek me out because they face overwhelming anxiety – about relationships, finances, and the woes of the world that flood the internet. Four to six weeks later, they feel calmer, mastering the tools they learn from me to sustain peace within and enjoy more satisfying relationships at work and with themselves and significant others.

For more than 20 years, I have counseled individuals from school-aged children to adults – and watched with concern about the escalating rates of depression and anxiety and overuse of spending and medications (and self-medicating by alcohol, cannabis, and other drugs) to manage symptoms. So I created an integrative approach to counseling – encouraging insights into how thoughts, feelings and behaviours are influenced by your physiology (body), relationships, present emotional environment (internal and external) and address imbalances for optimal wellbeing.

I have specific expertise in:

• financial therapy
• animal assisted therapy
• anxiety and panic attacks
• apathy and depression
• substance use and abuse
• relationship counseling – divorce, separation
• school-aged children/teens (anxiety, depression, social skills, traumatic events and transitions)
• women and work/life stressors
• military family stressors (CONUS and OCONUS)
• ex-pat stressors and work/life issues
• managing transitions
• critical incident response and recovery – natural disasters, community incidents and war trauma
• stressors related to singleness and solo living;
• religious transitions, trauma and spiritual abuse.

Credentials:

• B.A in journalism (University of Washington)
• Masters in Counseling (Seattle Pacific University).
• Licensed professional mental health counselor in Alaska, Florida and Washington State
• National Board certified (NBCC)
• ICISF (critical incident response) expertise in school incidents and natural disasters
• Certified Telehealth Practitioner in Florida
• Financial Therapist

Therapeutic modalities used:

• Positive Psychology
• Integrative MH approaches
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
• Interpersonal psychotherapy (brief therapy)
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Gottman Marriage and Relationship Therapy
• Emotionally Focused Therapy
• Financial Therapy
• Motivational Interviewing to enhance willingness to embrace change
• Substance use moderation to cessation therapy
• Spiritual Psychology and Faith-based counseling techniques