I earned my bachelor of arts from Oregon State University, and my master of arts in art therapy counseling from Marylhurst University in Portland Oregon. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (#C5510) in the state of Oregon and have been practicing since 2016. My areas of study included human development throughout the lifespan, ethics, clinical assessment, treatment planning, the counseling process, and the uses of art through the art therapy process. I have an extensive background working within the high school system to support adolescents who are experiencing a wide variety of diagnoses and situational stressors and have prioritized building relationships with teachers and administrators in order to increase the effectiveness of mental health treatment in this setting. As a result I’ve been able to adapt mental health concepts, training, and content to better fit the cultural context and needs of the population and expanded accessibility of counseling services within the community. I’ve also worked with children (5-11) as well as adults (30-75) and address a wide range of work, relationship, and stress management concerns and am comfortable working with clients of a variety of backgrounds and needs.
Collaboration is important to me therefore I am transparent with techniques I use and encourage feedback and commitment from all clients. My counseling approach primarily integrates: solution focused (goal oriented), client centered, DBT, CBT, psychodynamic, motivational interviewing, and art therapy theories and practices. My biggest focus with any client is building a positive working relationship and enhancing their own sense of agency and self-efficacy.
Having been a therapist since 2016 I’m experienced working with the full range of mental health diagnoses and am thorough in my diagnosis and referral process when needed. I’ve worked with clients experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and loss, emerging psychosis, eating disorders, OCD, autism, ADHD, intellectual disability, suicidality, and LGBTQ+. As a private practitioner my current practice focuses on adolescents and transition age youth who largely struggle with anxiety, depression, trauma, and ADHD. However, my experience lends itself well to working with all clients, and I find that goodness of fit with your therapist (how well their style fits your own personality and needs) is one of the key factors for success in therapy. If you are interested in working with me but don’t fall into my primary target client profile, just reach out! I will let you know how confident I am in my ability to meet your needs and discuss any potential concerns or road blocks.
