The decision to seek out therapy is an act of hope. It’s an act that spells out our belief that suffering doesn’t get the last word and that healing is possible. As a counselor, it is my privilege to help others hold hope for themselves, their relationships, and their future as we engage in a healing relationship where they are equipped with better skills for living and a greater awareness of how their past is impacting their present. Whatever we have experienced or done or been done to us, we all have the potential to create better stories. I come to this work with a love of stories and storytelling that was part of my undergraduate work at The Ohio State University where I studied English and film. I then spent the next twenty years working with middle and high school students in churches and discovered that I am drawn to walking with people through their most difficult seasons. That led me to working towards a master of arts in counseling psychology through The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, a program that teaches relational psychodynamics and emphasizes deep listening, the power of story, and deep relationships. Through additional study, I am familiar with interpersonal neurobiology, Internal Family Systems, and narrative trauma care as therapy modalities. I enjoy getting to know individual teenagers and adults as clients and tailoring my approach to their needs and personality.