Why this work?

I have experienced, and continue to experience, the rich, nourishing, and transformative process of embarking upon the terrain of self-exploration in partnership with a therapist.  I have found it to be completely surprising and revolutionary-- there are edges and spaces within myself that I hold dear that I once had no access to or feared.  Therapy has nurtured my seeds of self and I persistently marvel at the beautiful bouquets they grow into.

It hasn't always been this way for me.  I first came to the field of mental health as a seeker.  I wanted answers to questions that I couldn't find the words for.  What makes a person whole?  How does healing happen?  Why is life overwhelming?   Why do we hurt each other and how do we stop?  Why can't I figure this all out when the world says I'm supposed to?  The list goes on, and I searched for answers in many corners of the world and myself through travel, meditation, study, and relationship.  It wasn't until I engaged in mindful therapeutic practices and Hakomi therapy that answers started arising organically as my organization of experience started shifting.  The seeker in me is still alive with many burning questions, but she is less anxious and more excited about the insights to come. I continue to find this process to be enchanting, and the experience of sharing in enchantment with another lights me up. 

Credentials and Experience:

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I have worked in the mental health field since 2011 and currently run a private practice. I was previously employed by Reed College as a counselor and held the positions of Case Manager and Mental Health Educator at the University of California Riverside. Prior to this I was a counselor in community health centers in Washington State, and a Field Director for a mental health non-profit in Thailand.  This work has included leading workshops on mindfulness, wellness, and psychoeducation; program and curriculum development on mental health and trauma-informed care, as well as offering counseling and care coordination for people from many walks of life.

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) #L7890, Oregon

  • Graduate from the University of Washington, Master's in Social Work, 2011

  • Graduate from the University of Washington, B.S. in Psychology, 2005, summa cum laude

  • Studied Hakomi and the Re-Creation of the Self model at the M.E.T.A (Mindful Experiential Therapeutic Approaches) Institute in Portland, OR, graduate of 2-year Comprehensive Training and Maps: Advanced Clinical Strategy Module

  • Graduate of RIE (Resources for Infant Educarers) Intensive Training Program

  • Published author in “Trauma and Recovery on War's Border: A Guide for Global Health Workers”