Qualifications & Experience

I hold a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Biola University and a BA in Psychology from Seattle Pacific University. I have been counseling professionally since 2002. I am also trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).

My Call to Christian Counseling

I have always enjoyed working with people and serving in my local church. As I explored classes in college, I discovered that I enjoyed learning about how people grow throughout life. It is a privilege to be able to help people develop into healthy and thriving individuals. Like the Casting Crowns song says, “We were made to thrive!”

More About Me/On a Personal Note

I love leading people in worship; I play the guitar and keyboard. I also enjoy working out and hiking.

• Anxiety
• OCD
• Depression
• Eating Disorders
• Self-harm behaviors
• Counseling of Adolescents
• Relationship Issues
• Abuse
• Women’s Issues
• Trauma
• Psychological Testing
• Identity Development
• Individual Counseling
• Personal Development
• Spiritual Development

Anxiety

Excessive anxiety can have a devastating impact on school, work, and relationships and cause significant personal distress. Through therapy, I will help you to understand anxiety and develop tools to combat anxious thoughts and physical reactions. Throughout my career I have helped many children, adolescents, and adults develop tools to successfully overcome various presentations of anxiety.

Child/Adolescent Counseling

Throughout my career I have been privileged to work with many children and adolescents. The brain is changing so quickly during childhood and adolescence, which makes it a prime time for instilling emotion regulation and healthy coping. However, today’s children and teens are also faced with many obstacles, from increased demands of school and sports to bullying to the dangers of social media and the internet.

In therapy I work with both the child and/or teen, along with his or her caregiver. I help caregivers to understand neurological development and to develop tools to aid in healthy brain development. In addition, we explore parenting approaches that will teach responsibility and independence versus fear and dependence. Whether your child or teen is experiencing depression, anxiety, acting out, or other emotional struggles, I will work to help them gain self-awareness, relate better with others, and develop the tools necessary to cope with life.

Depression

Depression can be overwhelming and often feels as if there is no hope. However, healing is possible! Some signs of depression include persistent sad mood, lack of motivation, feelings of hopelessness, and difficulty concentrating and making decisions. Together we will identify the origins of your feelings of depression, understand your triggers, help you to develop coping strategies, and discover tools for battling the negative thoughts that accompany depression. We will work to help you enjoy life and feel whole.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders, whether anorexia, bulimia, or binge-eating disorder, are complex disorders that can result in much destruction in one’s life. In addition, depression, anxiety, and other emotional difficulties typically accompany eating disorders. It is important to manage both the psychological and physical aspects of an eating disorder. To that end, I am able to work with your dietitian and medical doctor in order to ensure that you have a complete team approach to your recovery. Through therapy, we will work together to discover root causes to your eating disorder, identify triggers, develop tools to effectively cope with emotions and triggers, and identify and combat the “eating disorder voice” that can be so destructive.

Trauma

Trauma takes many forms. Sometimes memories of traumatic events are not able to be fully processed and, therefore, are not stored in adaptive ways. If untreated, trauma can result in depression, anxiety, addictions, and a host of other problems. Trauma can also have a devastating impact on work and relationships. However, healing is possible! One approach that I use in treating trauma is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), an approach that research has shown to be effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder. Together, we will work to help you develop healthy coping strategies, understand your trauma reactions, and adaptively process traumatic memories.

Availability (by office location):

• Kent – Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday
• Bellevue – Thursday
• Online Counseling

Fees: I offer a Risk-Free Initial Session for Individuals, Adolescents and Families looking to pursue counseling with me. Please note that there is a fee for the Risk-Free Initial Session as it is a clinical hour and reimbursable to most insurance companies, but if you choose not to reschedule and continue therapy after the initial session the entire fee for the session will be waived. For ongoing treatment the full fee per session is required at the time of service.

Insurance: As a Clinical Psychologist a majority of insurance companies will reimburse for a portion of my services (as an Out of Network Provider). Please consult with your insurance provider as to whether they specifically cover individuals and couples.

Receipts/Statements: In the event you require a printed or digital receipt, I will provide receipts for personal use, insurance reimbursement, Flex Spending Accounts (FSA), and Health Savings Accounts (HSA).

Payment options: Cash, Check, or Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, & American Express). A fee of up to 3.7% plus $0.15 per transaction will be added for credit card payments.