From a very young age, I was drawn to understanding how people work—especially the behaviors, emotional patterns, and belief systems that shape our lives, often without realizing it. I was fascinated by how what we carry inside can show up in ways we don’t expect. Even before I had formal training, I could sense the deep connection between our inner world and the lives we’re experiencing.
While in nursing school, I worked in a nursing home and found myself lingering with residents, listening to their stories and learning about the lives they had lived. Later, as a hospital nurse, I often made space for people to share not just their symptoms but their emotions. It was in my nature, even my mom and aunt would say, “why do you ask so many questions” in reference to peoples behavior and responses to things. I understood, even then, how closely our emotional and physical well-being are linked.
But when I moved into a management role in a related healthcare industry, I entered a culture where empathy was devalued and the focus on numbers took priority. I became less attuned—further from my core values, and less connected to my own essence. It’s a reminder of how much our environments shape us. Over time, we often adapt to fit, especially in spaces where emotional expression is seen as weakness. The same dynamic plays out in families and other formative systems. It took time and intentional effort to find my way back—and eventually, I returned to the heart of what drew me in all along: helping people heal.
Coming back to this work felt like coming home. It was familiar—but also completely new, because I had changed. I had lived more, lost more, and gained a deeper understanding of what healing really requires. Along the way, I began integrating new ways of supporting people—first by walking alongside them in grief, and later through trauma-focused modalities that continue to shape how I practice today.
For ten years, I co-facilitated a grief support group—an experience that quietly and steadily deepened my respect for the human capacity to heal, even through devastating loss.
I first trained in EMDR and EMDR Sandtray while working with children and adults who had experienced trauma. Over time, I shifted to working primarily with adults and began integrating approaches that brought greater depth and nuance. Internal Family Systems (IFS) became the foundation of my work. From there, I layered in Brainspotting, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), integrating body-based and mindfulness approaches that support real, sustainable change.
Licensure
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC, MPC) – State of Arizona
Registered Nurse (RN) – State of Michigan