I have decided to become a counselor because of experiences that I have had throughout my life. I have been able to utilize counseling services for myself and have had a positive outcome. It really helped me get through a tough time in my life and I would like to be able to provide that same experience and outcomes to others.

I am able to work with a variety of clients, as I have had experience with most ages throughout my career. My primary experience is with children, teens, young adults, and families.

I am most excited to work with clients who are open and willing to make the changes they want in their lives. I like helping to empower and encourage people to be the best version of themselves.

I wish that clients would know that it is okay to have struggles in life. That we are all human and each person responds differently to things. No one trauma, no one struggle with grief, no one struggle with anger, no one struggle with depression or anxiety is the same. A small thing to one person may be a big thing to another and it is okay!

I chose to practice at Thriveworks because they are clinician run. I feel that some agencies get too much into business and Thriveworks seems to put the clinical piece in the forefront and cares about their clients.

My family. I have always been one to strive to better myself and be the best that I can be for my family. I want my children to grow up to be compassionate and empathetic towards others. I want them to understand the value of their own personal well-being and how to manage that. I want them to know that it is important to work hard and set goals for their own lives, as well as, how to accomplish those goals.

During the first session, I would plan to gather as much information as possible from the client in order to best understand their wants and needs for counseling. I will also try to get to know them and them get to know me and my approach. I will also allow them to ask any questions that they may have and have them think about what goals they may have for counseling.

My biggest goal for the first session is to try and understand what the client's wants and needs are, and what they wish to accomplish throughout on-going sessions.

I am open to all different needs and approaches. There is no one cookie cutter way to help different individuals. I am also open to working together to accomplish goals as a team, not just telling clients what to do.

When I am off, I love to spend time with my 2 girls and husband. Despite it being exhausting, I love taking the girls to their sports and dance classes. It is awesome to see them doing what they love, and excelling at it. We love to camp and try to go several times each camping season. We camp for a week at the beach each year as well. I am also highly involved with our school's PTA board and within our church. I have also recently started reading again and love to dive into a good thriller book!

The biggest thing that defines me is my level of service to others. I am typically one of the first people to jump in to help with whatever is asked of me. I am typically called on when events are needed to be planned within our church. I am involved within our school district as well and have great relationships with the administration and teachers.