I am a retired navy officer with 25 years of active duty. During my time in the navy, I was trained as a substance abuse counselor. I earned a bachelor’s degree and a master*s in counseling psychology while in the navy. During this time, I designed and ran a 2-week intensive  substance abuse outpatient program. I also was assigned to be in charge of a navy correctional custody facility and established the navy’s first female correctional custody program. Since my time in the navy, I have worked as a financial adviser, and spent two years in Cambodia, Zimbabwe and Vietnam on a humanitarian mission.

I spent a dozen years in the winter as a ski instructor and in the summer as a wilderness counselor for youth at risk. I’ve spent time as a white-water raft guide, four-wheeler adventurer guide, and a guide for canyoneering and desert exploration. I also spent 2 years as a forest service Wilderness Ranger and a year as the manager of Jordanelle State Park. I have also worked and volunteered as a personal trainer, strength coach for men’s hockey, high school wrestling and women’s softball.

Over the years I have worked as a mental health therapist and volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for foster children and am currently a Victims advocate assisting individual and family’s who have lost a loved one. I have also worked extensively with victims of domestic violence. I currently volunteer as a high school sports official for basketball, volleyball and fast pitch softball.

I am able to bring a lifetime of knowledge, experience and skills to my work with my clients. I enjoy working with couples, and families dealing with relationship and parenting issues as well as individuals struggling with the issues of life in the fast paced and stressful world. I work from a solution-based approach which I have found is a very effective treatment for anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, and interpersonal conflicts.