About Me

 

I grew up in Liberty and have lived in the Northland for the majority of my life. It is so exciting to have opened my private practice here in my hometown. I knew for a long time that I wanted a career in which I had the privilege of working with children in a way that supported their healthy growth and development.  I was blessed to be placed at the Child Abuse Prevention Association (CAPA) for my graduate internship in 2003, gained employment there 6 months following, and  continued to provide parenting & therapeutic support to CAPA's families until leaving my position as Clinical Services Supervisor in 2016.   Over my years at CAPA, I gained a lot of experience supporting children and their families in dealing with truamatic life events, as well as helping them reconnect with their self-worth and inner strength.  I love bearing witness to the powerful healing process and am continuously honored by the trust that families give me along their journey. 

​

One of my favorite things about being a therapist is the opportunity to create nurturing and safe relationships  in order to support the changes that others are wishing to make in their lives.  I believe there are several important ingredients for an effective therapeutic relationship. These include: honesty, respect, unconditional acceptance, humor, and compassion. I believe in having tough conversations, while delivering information in a respectful and compassionate manner.  I believe that we are all fallible  human beings and that our decisions do not define us. I also believe in the healing power of a good laugh and simply having fun.

​

In September 2013, while I was the IOWA Association of Play Therapy conference, I felt led to start the process of opening my own private practice.  It has been an exciting and challenging journey.  I am enjoying being a small business owner in my own hometown and  providing support to families in the KC Northland. 

​

In addition to my career, I have several other passions in life, including God, Family, Friends, Music, Cooking and Crafting.  Church is an important part of my weekly routine and helps to settle me into the Word at the start of each week.  I'm blessed to have family close by and friends to spend time with.  I play trumpet in the NorthWinds Symphonic band and I am always looking for crafty ways to express my creativity.  

​

​