Unfortunately, life is not always sunshine, rainbows and lollipops. Sometimes, life can leave a sour taste upon our palates and it can be difficult to continue to eat from its table. With major life changes, transitions, difficulties, and stresses, it can be hard to swallow at times. I can help guide you through your mental health journey, by empowering you on how to use those things life has thrown at you for the recipe of recapturing & restoring peace & joy to your life. In 2013, I graduated from Lindenwood University with a Masters of Art (M.A.) in School and Professional Counseling. I graduated top of my class and was peer-nominated & winner of Student of the Year 2013. I have over 15 years’ experience as a Department of Mental Health-Division of Developmental Disabilities Case Manager I/II/III & Habilitation Specialist II. This has afforded me the opportunity to work closely in the community with adults, children, and their families who have been diagnosed with Autism, Downs Syndrome, among other intellectual challenges as well as with individuals diagnosed with intellectual AND mental illness disorders. I also have experience working with individuals (children & adults) who struggle with substance abuse, suicidal ideation, anxiety, depression, and trauma. My previous professional experiences afford me the unique position to function like a social worker, considering each aspect of a person’s life and how those parts interconnect and impact the person as a whole, but also providing an in-depth approach from a therapeutic approach as a counselor. I primarily work from the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-Informed, Narrative Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, & Solution-Focused Brief Therapy approach, but I am extremely flexible in my approach as each person is unique in their personality as well as their needs. In using cognitive behavioral therapy, I help people see life issues & stresses they face daily from a different perspective. My philosophy is “if you can change the way you think, you can change the way you feel, and if you change the way you feel, you can change your life by changing the way you respond to life challenges.” However I am also a realist, that life is sometimes tough and sour, and another philosophy I have and live by is “it is okay to not be okay, just don’t get stuck there”. I also use the Solution-Focused brief therapy, to quickly identify unhealthy cycles and/or systems, and assist with identifying reasonable solutions, unless otherwise indicated for a more in-depth approach such as trauma informed approaches. I am here to help guide you through learning skills, strategies, and gaining insight to assist you out of your “stuck” place of your journey in your story of life, and empower you with the tools needed to navigate through any of life’s tumultuous journey’s successfully.