Meet The Professionals

What I Have Done As A Therapist…

Since 1998 I have worked with families and have helped people strengthen and develop better relationships as an individual or as a couple. I also worked for over a decade as a counselor. I’ve had great success facilitating change and deeper personal understanding with clients of all ages. My focus as a counselor is on helping my clients effectively tackle the challenges of their lives using an approach of practical feedback, compassion and personal awareness. Most recently I have focused my education and practice on helping clients achieve full recovery from mental health & addictions using nutritional supplementation and amino acid protocols.

I am  NOT a believer in just throwing a prescription at the problem – which seems to be the blanket “solution” to stress, anxiety and depression in our current society.  Instead I encourage a holistic approach to overall wellness, which results in lasting change, a healthier state of being, and a happier and more empowered you.

My Approach As A Recovery Coach…

I am thrilled to be helping you with your sober journey! I have focused my education and training on coaching for alcohol problems and smoking cessation. Of primary concern is helping you rebalance your body for sustained recovery through through nutrient and neurotransmitter repair. If you are a binge drinker, a daily drinker or drinking is causing a bunch of problems and you are ready for a change, then you are in the right spot. If the 12-step program is not appealing, or you have tried it before and it just didn’t fit, then Recovery Coaching could be a great option for you.

If you have quit drinking and now find yourself struggling to stay sober and picking up the pieces of your life, Recovery Coaching is for you! Coaching focuses on the future, while counseling cleans up the past. Coaching is a personal, strength-based journey and one that together we can set and achieve goals for a brighter tomorrow even when today seems bleak.

If you have ever asked yourself, “Do I drink too much?” or if others tell you that you drink too much and you are ready to look into the possibility that quitting drinking might be for you, I can help.

What I Have Done As A Professional Counselor & Reiki Master

I specialize in trauma treatment but am also passionate about mindfulness, meditation and cognitive approaches in therapy.  I’m always seeking to learn more in order to become both a better counselor and person. For the past 3 years I have worked primarily with children and teens who have experienced trauma.  Prior to that I worked with female trauma survivors, with an emphasis on relationships and family but also self-esteem, personality disorders, addiction, eating disorders, and self-care. I have also spent years as a victim’s advocate providing emotional support for victims of sexual assault and done work to prevent suicide as a member of different organizations. Currently, I am working toward becoming certified in mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy and neuromeditation.  I am also very interested in learning more ways to support children, teens and adults with mental health holistically. 

I also enjoy the benefits of Reiki in the healing process. 

Reiki allows clients to ground and be fully present in their bodies, listening to what the body, mind and soul are disclosing and manifesting as symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Reiki provides a tool that integrates grounding exercises with talk therapy. For example, I like to use a Reiki tool that allows clients to imagine whatever they want to rid themselves of as a shape with color, weight and texture. Once they have completely created their image, I ask them if they really want to release themselves from this (anxiety, resentment, depression, anger, etc.). They affirm this out loud. I then ask if they are willing to make the necessary changes to release their manifestation. Again, they affirm this out loud.

These preparations for the actual Reiki healing resonate with cognitive behavior therapy and expressive therapies. Clients employ their senses in creating an image that captures their sensory experience of their perceived angst. They are then asked to affirm their desire for change and their desire to make the changes necessary to affect change. Following this setup, I prepare myself and energetically help clients excise the imagined object from their being. This is one of my favorite tools because it has led to great success with clients who just seem stuck and need additional clearing.

Reiki is also a tool that clients can learn for their own personal use in self-care. The tenets of counseling promote the empowerment and self-sufficiency of the client. Reiki promotes a practice of clients becoming more self-aware to their physiological and energetic needs and provides a means to address care and healing.

What I Have Done As A Therapist

For over ten years I have worked with individuals that struggle with managing unhealthy thoughts and emotions, many of which have been female trauma survivors. I am an expert in treating anxiety, depression, trauma, personality disorders and co-occurring disorders. In my past superhero life, I created and implemented programs for state entities focusing on the management of mood and psychotic disorders, cognitive-behavioral treatment for emotions management, and the WI Peer Specialist Initiative.

As you know, if you can’t get your thoughts and emotions in check, the ripple effect can impact all facets of life. The daily grind, adulting – however you label it – is not an easy task and each one of us manages the grind differently.  My focus as a counselor is to take an individualized, holistic, humble approach to confront and living beyond those pain points that have taken away your power.