Excellence - Compassion - Integrity

I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and my Master’s degree in Clinical Counseling from the University of Northern Colorado. I was honorably discharged from the United States Air Force after serving our country for six years. I served our community for sixteen years as a law enforcement officer in various assignments including Detentions, Court Services, Patrol, Special Victims Unit Detective, Downtown Area Response Team and Property Crimes Detective.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with over 10 years of counseling experience across a variety of treatment settings including private practice, juvenile detention center and Elementary & High School Military & Family Life Counselor.

I provide counseling to children (8-12), teens (13-17) and adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), depression, anxiety, trauma and similar emotional disorders. My experience includes working with special populations such as First Responders (Police, Fire and EMS), Veterans, Military, LGBTQ clients and their families.

I use an integrated therapeutic approach of evidence-based methodologies to offer a highly personalized approach tailored to each client. Theories include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy and Reality Therapy. With compassion and understanding, I work with each individual to help them build on their strengths and attain the personal growth they are committed to accomplishing.

I am comfortable working with any age, race, religion, color, national origin, sex (gender identity, sexual orientation) and disability.

License  

Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC: 0006570

Professional Associations

American Mental Health Counseling Association (AMHCA)

Additional Training

EMDR Trained

Family and Child Investigator

Crisis Intervention Training

I completed my B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Colorado at Boulder, my M.Ed. in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Oregon, and my Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy. I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Colorado with 15 years of experience in mental health. I have worked in a variety of therapeutic settings including individual and group outpatient therapy, school-based therapy, partial hospitalization, residential treatment, and mental health crisis settings. I have had the privilege of helping people of all ages find resources and solutions for issues including, but not limited to couples and family problems, life transitions, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder.

My therapy approach is compassionate, and person centered. I believe that therapy is a haven from which to grow. I work within a Solution Focused framework integrated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients of all ages access the resources within themselves to meet their goals. I believe each client and problem is unique and will work with each client to build goals and solutions that honor clients’ journeys to self-actualization. My experience includes working with special populations such as First Responders (Police, Fire and EMS), Veterans, Military, LGBTQ clients and their families.

I am comfortable and culturally attuned to working with any age, race, religion, color, national origin, sex (gender identity, sexual orientation) and disability. 

Certifications: Certified Family Life Educator, National Council on Family Relations Certified Within My Reach Trainer and pre-marital educator, PREP©  License  Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT 971), Issued by Colorado  

Professional Associations: American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)Rocky Mountain Family Therapy Network (RMFTN)National Council on Family Relations (NCFR)  

My road to becoming a Licensed Social Worker was a long and interesting journey. I joined the United States Army right out of high school and left active duty four years later to transition to the National Guard and later to the Reserve, eventually retiring from the Reserve in 2016. My interest in helping those in need started with the El Paso County Veterans Trauma Court jail diversion program where I volunteered as a Peer Mentor. As I knew I was nearing the end of my military career, I wanted to maintain a continuum of service to veterans and others in need. Thus, after my final deployment in 2014, I enrolled in the University of Southern California’s Masters of Social Worker program with a concentration on behavioral health, graduating in 2016. In the past four years, I’ve worked with a diverse range of clients and am open to everyone in need regardless of how they, or others, classify themselves. 

I truly embrace that there is only one race, humanity, and every day I come to work, I believe that, in some way, however small, I’m going to improve someone’s life that day. Helping those in need is my passion and my goal is to assist everyone I meet to be healthy, happy, and safe. As everyone is different, my approach to therapy is to meet the client where they are and move forward together. 

My primary therapeutic method is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), but I tailor how I treat clients with the evidence-based method that best supports their needs. My treatment focus covers a wide range of needs to include depression, anxiety, trauma, PTSD, and personality disorders. I work with adolescents (12+) along with younger and older adults.