My work as a psychotherapist is based on clinical experience in addition to my own healing path over the past 40 years.  Since completing a Master's Degree in Expressive Therapy at the University of Louisville (2000) and subsequent certification in yoga instruction (Yoga East, 2001), I have practiced art therapy and yoga therapy in psychiatric and community settings.  I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and a board certified, registered Art Therapist (ATR-BC).  Areas of specialization include adolescence and young adulthood, trauma work, somatic issues, women's health, sexuality, and clinical supervision.  I love working with clients from divergent backgrounds. 

 

In addition to private practice, fifteen years of experience at in-patient psychiatric settings (Navos Inpatiet Services in Seattle and Central State Hosptial in Louisville, KY) have offered a rich foundation for working with people impacted by various forms of trauma.  Trauma-related training includes Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and certification in trauma-sensitive yoga instruction from the Trauma Center in Boston, MA. 

 

In 2014, I completed a professional seminar program in Jungian Studies sponsored by the C.G. Jung Institute of Seattle and am currently a member of the Jungian Psychotherapists Association of Seattle (JPA) and the NW Alliance for Psychoanalytic Study (NWAPS).  I work actively in clinical consultation with Sal Ziz, DCSW, LICSW, whose mentorship is steeped in theories of attachment and regulation, including interpersonal neurobiology.  I contunue to learn about how race and culture impact identity, trauma, and healing work.

 

Prior to studying psychotherapy, I offered trainings and developed publications for organizations promoting youth voice, volunteerism, equity, and service learning including the Kansas State Board of Education/Points of Light Foundation, Washington Youth Voice Project, and Seattle Youth Involvement Network.    

 

The following mentors, therapists, and teachers have helped shape my healing work:  Naomi Patterson, Laura Cherry, Gail Malizia, Father Joe Periera, Judith Capili, Shannon McCall, Joseph Rutte, Karen Stocker, Candace Braley, Sal Ziz, Perlas Sapida,and Susan Scott. To these teachers and their inspirations, and to clients who have let me learn with them, I am immensely grateful.