About Me

I was born and raised in Rockford, Illinois. I received my bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Sciences with an emphasis in Family Social Services with a minor in Psychology at Northern Illinois University. I went on to receive my master’s degree in Applied Human Development and Family Sciences with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy at Northern Illinois University in 2022. While completing my graduate degree, I completed a certification in Trauma-Informed Counseling too. During my studies, I worked in homeless shelters helping individuals and families meet their basic needs, seek employment, and build literacy skills. Also, I worked with senior citizens on improving their social skills and interactions with other members of their community while meeting their direct needs. These experiences contributed to my interest in becoming a therapist and assisting couples, families, and individuals on their path to healing and management of their struggles.

As a marriage and family therapist I work with a plethora of different issues and dynamics.These include: Couples, families, teens, children, and individuals dealing with a variety of issues such as sexual abuse, marital discord, grief, behavioral issues, anxiety, depression, sex & intimacy, infidelity, polyamory, open relationships, divorce and men’s issues.

When I work with a client, my goal is to achieve safety, trust, and understanding. Therapy may be challenging and uncomfortable at times and it is important to recognize a client’s needs as we process different issues. Once we have established and addressed these core issues of discomfort, I push my clients to become aware of dynamics, behaviors, and reactions in their everyday lives. Also, I believe a person’s emotions and experiences influence their current behaviors and interactions. I offer a safe and warm environment to process these emotions and the experiences they hold. In conjunction with this, refining reactions to these emotional experiences is pivotal in healing.

My therapeutic approach will change depending upon the issue, person, and dynamics being presented in session. I use the following therapeutic orientations, including Bowen Family Systems Theory, Attachment based Therapy, Emotion Focused Therapy, Emotion Focused Couples Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Narrative Therapy.

Areas of Specialty

Premarital Counseling

I am a certified Prepare/Enrich Facilitator. This assessment tool is used to help couples build a strong foundation in their marriage by enhancing each partner’s communication and conflict resolution skills. This teamwork based approach highlights areas of growth individually while learning how to express differences within each other’s personalities. By increasing awareness of these skills, the relationship continues addressing these dynamics and couples become stronger together.

Couples Counseling

For couples in monogamous and couples/partners practicing consensual/ethical non-monogamy struggling in their relationships and want to explore deeper emotional issues, I use Gottman’s Couples Therapy, Emotion Focused Couples Therapy, Bowen’s Couples Therapy. I coach and guide couples to understand how their emotions, reactions, and responses are influencing their communication. I help couples understand their unmet needs and build a bridge of connection to strengthen their relationships with one another.

Family Therapy

Families function as a system. Each member contributes a unique perspective and enhances the experience for all family members. While working with families, I examine their family of origin, patterns of engagement and reactions. These factors play a vital role in the health of the system. I coach and challenge each member to express their emotions and feelings about issues while coaching other family members through their responses and reactions. I provide support and understanding for each member to fully express their experiences.

LGBTQIA+

As an ally, I work with individuals, couples, and their families who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Each person’s story is unique and I offer a safe environment to process and navigate wherever a person is at in their journey and assist their families as well through this process.

Certificates and Supplemental Trainings

  • PREPARE/ENRICH Facilitator
  • Gottman Method Couple Therapy (Level 2)
  • Trauma-Informed Counseling Certification