Bio:

I started this journey at Trevecca Nazarene University, developing my undergraduate degree in Social Science with an emphasis in Psychology. I also have a minor degree in Science. Becoming a Licensed Marital and Family Therapist took a few years of life experience in between receiving my B.A. and beginning the Masters Degree Program at TNU.

I married my husband, Joey, in January of 1987, and had my son Will, September of 1988. In February of 1991 my daughter, Laura, was born. I worked part-time jobs that allowed me flexible time with my family and even home-schooled for a couple of years. My husband and I had discussed my getting a masters degree for several years until we both felt the time was right for me to pursue it. I thoroughly appreciate those years of one on one interaction with my children and appreciate those women who may not have had that privilege. It is about loving well despite circumstances.

After my husband and I launched our young adult children, the decision was made for me to go back to school and begin a Ph.D. program. I have completed my Ph.D. in Medical Family Therapy Sciences with a Medical Family Therapy Specialty from the college of Marriage and Family Therapy Sciences at NorthCentral Univerisity. The program was COAMFTE accredited, which is the APA equivalent for psychologists earning their Ph.D. Medical Family Therapy trains the behavioral health practitioner to work within a medical setting with physicians, social workers, nurses, and clinic administration. The term for this biopsychosocial and spiritual model of care is “integrated patient care”. I had the privilege of working in Vancouver, Washington in an integrated healthcare setting with other healthcare practitioners during my Ph.D. internship.

I have patients ask me if I am a Christian or a "Christian Counselor". I am a professional psychotherapist who happens to be a Christian. My sense of relatedness to the population is that their spiritual experience will be different from mine. It is helpful to know if a client is spiritually oriented, and to which context they attribute faith or none at all. I consider my specialty to be medical family therapy. I now have an added lens to help couple relationship dynamics when there is illness, individual therapy for anxiety and depression in collaboration with a prescribing physician, and the child within the family, which relates to working with parents to gain insight and management strategies within ​their home. 

​Life is a series of ascents and descents. At times the climb toward well-being is treacherous and difficult. My hope is that I can come alongside and be of help toward that place of contentment.