My Personal Story

I was raised in rural Northern California where I spent much of my time in nature and with animals. I felt like I could freely be me in nature and with animals whereas being me elsewhere seemed to get me in trouble or shamed. By the time I reached my teens, I was experiencing a lot of anxiety and self-doubt and it continued through the better half of my twenties. I created masks, parts of me that could take over and help me blend in and gain acceptance. Inside though, I didn’t think I was good enough and I worried that eventually others would find out. I was first introduced to the effects of trauma on the mind in my undergraduate psychology classes at the University of Oregon. Psychology, sociology, and philosophy classes interested me most. It felt natural to move toward becoming a therapist and I went on to obtain a Master’s Degree in Social Work. Along the way, I became more aware of my own trauma and its impact on my thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. But it was still easier to escape through partying and immersing myself in toxic romantic relationships. After feeling my heart broken one too many times, I finally began peeling away the layers of masks I’d created over the years and risked exposing them, along with the parts of me that I felt ashamed of, in therapy. I looked inward and I started applying the knowledge I had been collecting over the years about healing. I transformed and am no longer the woman I was back then who didn’t think she was good enough. Today, I am the woman that woman from back then wished she could be. Since obtaining my Master’s Degree nearly 18 years ago, I have provided therapy to hundreds of individuals, couples, and families experiencing a multitude of problems, especially trauma. I have invested in becoming a skilled practitioner in many of the top trauma treatments including EMDR, Internal Family Systems, and Cognitive Processing Therapy and I would be honored to share with you what I have learned.