“I want you to get excited about who you are, what you are, what you have, and what can still be for you. I want to inspire you to see that you can go far beyond where you are right now.” Virginia Satir

I believe that the messages we receive over time become deeply entrenched beliefs about ourselves and the world around us. It can feel like our problems are a part of our identity. This can quickly lead to guilt, shame, and hopelessness because changing ourselves at the core can seem impossible. By expressing these feelings and looking into where these beliefs come from, we can begin to see that we get to choose what kind of person we want to be. I want to be there to guide people as they search for and create a life they want.

“As a therapist, I am a companion. I try to help people tune into their own wisdom.” Virginia Satir

My degree is in Marriage and Family therapy, but the title of my field is misleading. I don’t just work with couples and their kids, I work with all sorts of individuals and I offer the opportunity for those clients to bring other people into sessions with them if/when it feels helpful. These people can be romantic partners, family members, or anyone else that is relevant to a client’s wellness. I’m trained to think about how people are impacted by their relationships (friends, family, romantic partners), the larger social context, and vice versa.

The theories I primarily work from are Narrative Therapy and Experiential Therapy. Both are humanistic approaches that emphasize that people are naturally good and that who people are is separate from the problems they deal with. I make adjustments in my approach to fit the individual needs of my clients. I have experience with a wide variety of diagnoses and life experiences, and I regularly read books on new subjects that are relevant to my clients.

As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community I have a special interest in helping others from the community as well as those who are struggling with their relationships to members of the community. I also enjoy working with teens because adolescence is a time of finding one’s identity and constant changes in social roles and family dynamics. I remember wishing I had a user manual to tell me how to handle things, but I only had friends who were just as lost as I was. There was so much pain and confusion and “drama”. I love being there to answer questions and guide people through this time, helping them to stay connected with family while gaining independence, and searching for the kind of person they want to be.

About Me:

I have always been fascinated by why people do the things they do. This lead me to a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a Minor in Philosophy from the University of Washington Tacoma. From there I followed my passion for helping people and my fascination with people’s thoughts, feelings, and relationships to pursue a career in therapy. I chose a degree in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) over one in Mental Health Counseling (MHC) when I learned that MFT’s focus on Systems Theory, which means that we focus on how people are impacted by their relationships and their social context. I earned my degree through Pacific Lutheran University and loved the entire journey.

On a more personal note, I love spending my free time doing crafts and playing video games or board games with friends. I love cats, dogs, and really all animals. I’ve even been a vegetarian since 2014. You’ll see artwork of animals in my office because they make me so happy.