My passion has always been helping and serving others, which is why I felt that counseling has always been my calling. I love walking alongside of people and watching them grow through their own healing journeys. With compassion and empathy being two of my stronger characteristics, I too can understand the challenges and obstacles that life can sometimes bring. Relationships and making people feel valued and unique are very important to me, therefore I focus on creating a safe space for trust and vulnerability with my clients. Specifically, I have enjoyed working with clients to help heal past traumas, bridge family communication barriers, and help improve emotional or behavioral patterns.
My areas of focus include children aging from 3 years old to 18 years old as well as adults. I meet individuals where they currently are and utilize integrative counseling theories that are tailored to each individual’s need such as Family Systems Therapy, Developmental Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Attachment-Based Therapy, Strengths-Based Therapy, and Solution Focused Therapy. I implement Child Centered Play-Based Therapy and interactive methods and modalities such as Theraplay with my younger clients. I am also EMDR trained and currently working towards my EMDR certification. My hope is to build genuine relationships with my clients to create a safe and supportive environment that can sometimes be direct, but also incorporate some humor as well into my sessions to help clients feel comfortable and at ease.
Having received my Masters in Mental Health Counseling as well as School Counseling from Oklahoma State University, I first began my journey as a Licensed School Counselor for almost 10 years before pursuing my LPC and working in private practice. I have worked with ages ranging from elementary to high school, but have worked primarily with teens. Over the years spent working with kids, I have learned that it is vital to also support parents and families as they walk through different challenges. Being at Connect and Restore is the realization of a long-term goal of focusing on clinical work full-time as my children got older.
I am a proud momma of two precious boys. My oldest son is a college student at Texas A&M, pursuing a degree in Architectural Engineering, while my youngest son is currently in high school. We stay actively busy with school sports and family time. Our family is also active in our church where we serve in various capacities. We cherish spending time together, love the outdoors, and love traveling any chance I get.