Qualifications & Experience

I hold a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership with an emphasis on Counseling from Faith International University and Seminary, a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from St. Martins University, and a Bachelor of Arts with an emphasis in Behavioral Sciences from The Evergreen State College.

I am also a Certified End of Life Specialist and a Clinical Chaplain. I hold certificates in Grief and Bereavement, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Sports and Exercise Psychology. I completed my training at Western State Psychiatric Hospital, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, and other Multicare facilities.

My Call to Christian Counseling

As I was considering my desired career path, I knew I wanted to have a part in other people’s lives, giving them a sense of hope and inspiring them to be the best version of themselves, with God’s help.

More About Me/On a Personal Note

I love volunteering at my local church, bird watching, and catering to my wild bird sanctuary in my backyard. I also enjoy attending any and all professional sporting events.

Areas of Expertise/Specialties

• Abandonment and Neglect
• Aging and Geriatric Issues
• Anger Management
• Anxiety
• Coaching
• Counseling for Teens
• Codependency
• Depression
• Eating Disorders
• Grief and Loss
• Individual Counseling
• Online Counseling
• Personal Development
• Professional Development
• Relationship Issues
• Spiritual Development
• Trauma
• Weight Loss
• Women’s Issues

Aging and Geriatric Issues

Many age-related changes are normative and just a part of aging, but together we’ll get to the root of your concerns. In session we’ll focus on the solutions and examine tools that will help you not to dwell on the challenges you may face.

Grief and Loss

As a grief counselor, I will listen to your story without judgment. Through grief counseling, I intend to help give you tools to grieve healthily, understand and cope with the emotions you experience, and ultimately find a way to understand the stages of grief, which fluctuate. I can help you address your intense emotions and move toward the healing process.

Spiritual Development

Religion and spirituality can be part of the solution to the challenges you are facing. Because spiritual and religious values can play a significant role in human life, spiritual values should also be viewed as a potential resource in therapy. We can explore how religious faith, or some form of personal spirituality you have or are seeking, can be a powerful source of meaning and purpose. We will reflect on pertinent questions about your religion or your spirituality to determine whether it is a constructive force in your life.

Personal Development

As a counselor, one of my primary goals is to encourage you to work toward your own self-development and to help you learn the necessary skills to do this independently. As we work together, I want to help you recognize that your journey is unique and represents its own views of what it means to be happy and/or satisfied as you move through the developmental stages of life. We will develop a more realistic view of what it would look like for you to feel satisfied with your life as you navigate life’s regular ebb and flow.

Anger Management

In general, people sometimes become angry when there is a discrepancy between their expectations and their experiences. The emotion of anger was designed for a purpose. If your anger is vented thoughtlessly, it can hurt and destroy relationships. I want to help you understand how God’s Word teaches us to deal with anger immediately rather than letting it fester or lead to a loss of control, where it can become destructive. Anger management issues are complex; however, together we can establish a practical strategy to help you manage these feelings.

Sessions: I offer 53-minute sessions. Sessions can be held more than once per week, weekly, or every other week. Scheduling options are discussed in greater detail during your Risk-Free Initial Session.

Availability (by office location):

• Tacoma – Tuesdays, Saturdays, Sundays

Fees: I offer a Risk-Free Initial Session for individuals 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 Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), some 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 adolescents, individuals and couples.