I have nearly 20 years of experience working with children and adolescents and their families. I have worked in variety of settings including inpatient, assessment, outpatient, and day treatment. I take an eclectic approach as I get to know my clients and together we work to form a treatment plan to meet everyone’s needs. Once we know one another, I can offer ideas on the best approach to tackle your needs. My greatest teachers have not been in a classroom. They have been sitting across from me. You are the true professional when it comes to you. I can help you access all your greatness, address the not-so-greatness, and help you decide what you keep and what you let go of. If you choose to let me be part of your life, it is something I never take for granted. What you keep close is kept close for a reason and I assure you, I see it as a privilege to become part of your quest for betterment. My skill set rests in seeing the person first. You, the person, are who I am interested in serving. Your issues and needs do not define you. I won’t refer to you by any kind of issue, label, or diagnosis. You have a name for a reason! I have years of experience working with young people who face stressors of all kinds. Anxiety, depression, trauma, surviving abuse, grief and loss, are a few of the areas I know well. As you might know, all of these areas of need can branch off and lead to an often unwanted chain of events. I believe in setting priorities with you, based on how you want to face your needs, and we work together to decide where this adventure takes us. Tears are okay. Harsh language is okay. Being mad is okay. You’re here and seeking help and that makes you brave! I have specialized training in grief and loss, trauma-focused treatment, and cognitive-behavioral approaches to just about anything. Life is about choices. I believe we are built to make some not-so-good choices to learn what good choices can feel like. I am a firm believer on do-overs and trying again. But….it can’t just be you saying “One more chance….” it has to be you staring it down and forging ahead and taking the chance. It’s hard but it can be worth the effort. Let’s try it together! In my spare time, I am an avid reader. I usually have two or three books going at one time! I love animals and wish I could adopt all the dogs! I took opportunity over the time of COVID to finally tackle some of the 1,000+ recipes I pinned on Pinterest. I’ve tried at least 1-2 new recipes a week and some have been worth it while others ended up as deleted pins. But I keep trying! I love to watch baseball. All baseball from Little League to the Major Leagues. I enjoy traveling the United States and due to my intense dislike of flying, I prefer road trips and have encountered some interesting people and places along the way. I wouldn’t have it any other way! I enjoy history so on my road trips I am always looking for the next museum up the road. As a society, I believe we can’t fully know where we’re going if we aren’t sure where we’ve been. Kind of like life! Therapy is hard sometimes. I respect anyone who reaches a point where they realize it’s okay not to face tough stuff alone. I look forward to meeting you, chatting, and getting to know you, and you getting to know me.