My Approach to Counseling

Everyone has a story to tell, and doing so in a therapeutic setting helps people mend mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. My approach is client-centered and based on humanistic and existential theories. I’m likely to include narrative, cognitive behavioral, and expressive therapies as well. My goal is to provide customized support to the unique person in front of me who may have stories they’ve never shared or who may need assistance in clarifying their values in order to create meaning in their lives. I hold the space and serve as a witness and collaborator who supports people in their efforts toward reaching resilience and whatever optimum health looks like for them. I also believe change is a verb, which can include teaching folks coping skills, mindfulness and helping them reimagine life stories that feel more engaging and meaningful.

Social Justice Statement

As a white, straight, cisgender woman without disabilities, I acknowledge that it is my responsibility to build unsuppressed places that dismantle white supremacy, ableism, homophobia, and gender biases. As I confront these systems, I examine my own biases, stereotypes, and worldview with the intention of contributing to the creation of a more equitable, inclusive world.

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My Education & Experience

I hold a master’s degree in counselor education from Portland State University. I’m also a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, which means that I am trained to support people affected by disability. I’ve taken coursework in expressive therapies, which can include drawing, painting, writing, clay, and/or drama as mediums in which to address trauma and other stressors. Inside and outside of academia, I’ve studied Jungian ideas on growth, archetypes, and shadow work. I’m also a lifelong student of complementary healing methods such as herbalism, Reiki, and meditation.

I hold a master’s degree in creative writing from the University of North Carolina Wilmington where I taught undergraduate writing and literature courses. I’ve also volunteered with the Portland Literacy Council.

My interest in counseling goes back many years to when I volunteered with a sexual assault crisis line. Later, I worked as a massage therapist until a work-related injury brought my ten-year career to an end. My interest is disability justice and rehabilitation counseling springs from my own experiences with a temporary partial disability.

Eventually, I made my way back to the field of mental health and risk assessment by working as a crisis responder taking calls for community mental health organizations, crisis lines, EAPs and universities and colleges.

You can find me at the coast during my free time. I read many library books, take many walks, spend time with family, listen to podcasts, and (pre-covid) enjoy local theater.