I think the igniting spark for me to become a counselor was when I experienced grief counseling following the loss of a significant person in my life. This opened my eyes to the possibility of helping others reconnect to their personal sense of wholeness in the same way that I had been helped in my own therapy experience.

I find that this process works best when a person is open to being gently challenged to unpack the tough things they know somewhere in their being to be true but are struggling with acknowledging. Something has brought the person to the point of seeking support and I find that clients who are open to this process have desired changes more quickly.

I enjoy motivated clients who are open to recommendations that might be outside of their comfort zone. Those who are willing to walk with me as we seek to see their experiences from new perspectives so that problem solving becomes more easily achieved in their daily lives.

I wish that all clients were able to connect the wonderful skills and knowledge they already have living inside of them to the challenges they are seeking support for. Life experiences may have put things that feel like roadblocks in the way of this process but once it's reestablished, nothing can take away the power of knowing one's true self.

I can see how working with Thriveworks can connect me with clients that might not be living in my area of the country but still need support with life challenges.

I'm inspired when a client starts to reconnect with the innate ability to heal and then they begin to see themselves the way I've always seen them, as someone with enormous potential and skill.

We will work to begin unpacking the experiences that are bringing them to counseling. This will be done is a gentle way on the client's own terms so that if they feel it's too challenging to discuss a specific topic or experience there is no judgement on putting a boundary in place. It's totally understandable.

I like to begin to build the relationship so that we can see if meeting feels like a good fit. I'll talk through the things that are bringing the client to counseling, talk about goals, as well as speak more fully about my approach to meeting with clients.

I'm a naturally curious person and am open to learning about each person I work with as an individual. I enjoy knowing what makes each of my client's unique and the things that they are passionate about doing. I want to feel to my client's as being a huge part of their support system as they are working to navigate their own personal understanding of themselves.

I spend time with my family and friends and that may look like taking walks through the town I live in or going to a movie. I especially enjoy listening to music and having impromptu dance parties in my living with my 5-year-old son.

I have a deep belief that I am to leave the world a better place than when I came into it. That is a driving force in my interactions with others and I sincerely hope that this has a ripple effect that begins to create positive change.