What educational experiences inspire your offerings?

• My greatest teachers have been the people I have directly worked with. For over 15 years, I have been providing individual, group, and couples counseling. Currently I work with college students at UF, and previously, for 12 years, I worked in a trauma-responsive, strengths-based environment for teenage girls. Additionally, implementing creativity and healing group activities at an inpatient hospital crisis stabilization unit has been deeply fulfilling. My master’s, specialist (dual specialization in mental health and marriage and family), and PhD degrees are all from the University of Florida. I have received specialized training in Somatic Experiencing (SE) Trauma Resolution, Somatic Integration & Processing I&II Gestalt, Narrative, and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). After years of counseling experiences, and additional training, my credentials include being a supervisor for Registered Interns in Florida who are working on becoming licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist and/or a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. 

• I deeply believe in lifelong learning, and have found that every personal and professional experience has an opportunity for growth. I love continuing education credits, youtube videos, and being either a facilitator or a participant in online training. Opportunities have arisen for me to provide over 100 interactive educational sessions at local, regional, national, and international conferences and professional settings over the years, where I have attended countless sessions of additional presenters in the field.

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What are some of your values? My work feels like soul work, and I am deeply honored to get to be of service with people during significant times in their lives. In addition to holding healing spaces for times of deep suffering and disconnection, I love celebrating with people for small or big life happenings. For over 10 years, I have also been facilitating meaningful rituals and ceremonies for important life occasions. I am humbled by the power of relationships and how people can support, empower and learn from one another. My connections with beloved family and friends are vital to my holistic health. I also value time at the walks in nature, deep conversations and the infinite potential for creativity. My wellness practices also include photography, intentionally returning to the present moment, embodied experiences, exploring trails, rivers, campfires, and a wide spectrum of music. I value experiential engagement, deep breathing, sandtray, therapeutic music, writing, metaphors, guided imagery, coloring, drawing, collage, poetry, etc.

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What is your approach? My approach is collaborative, contextual, trauma-responsive, and celebrates collective and individual identities. I bring curiosity, intergenerational compassion, and cultural humility.