My short answer? I like helping people! The long answer? Growing up I enjoyed being the one friends came to talk to, or the one who assisted in resolving a conflict. I also had fun "playing" school and came from a family with generations of Teachers, so when I began college, it was a toss-up between becoming a Teacher or a Therapist. I decided I would rather spend my time and energy with clients and my own future kids, as opposed to a room full of other people's kids! That was classic Freshman thinking. Either way, I do not regret my choice and I have embraced it ever since.

The client who is willing to examine his/herself.

The client motivated to change.

You can change.

I appreciated Thriveworks' philosophy on service to the client and support to the clinician.

People inspire me. The will to survive, overcome, face a challenge. Watching one help another. How the Bible, a single book written by people, has impacted the world inspires me. The openness, curiosity, and resilience of a child. Laughter, nature, and music inspire me. The depth of intellect, emotion, and creativity inspires me.

A new client can expect acceptance and safety. We will do the introductions, I'll review the usual preliminary documentation, and then we will take time for me to get to know what brought you here, including relevant history and your perspective of your concerns.

My goal for a first session is for clients to end the session knowing that they were heard, accepted and that there is hope. Everything else is bonus.

I always look forward to spending time with my family. I record shows so that I can binge-watch them later without commercials. I enjoy science fiction and action/adventure movies and books. I enjoy outdoor physical activities and love watching a good football game. I like brain teasers, puzzles, and concepts that make me think. Thanks to a pandemic, I now enjoy "going to church" online. My happy place is in the deep end of a pool.

"Positivity". According to Oxford University Press, "positivity" is a noun defined as the practice of being or tendency to be positive or optimistic in attitude. Merriam-Webster defines "positivity" as the quality or state of being positive. My elementary school teachers taught me that you cannot define a word with the word, or even parts of the word. My own definition is: the tendency to be optimistic in life. I am not optimistic all day every day, but overall, I look for opportunities to be positive and to show it to others through my thinking, emotions, and behaviors.