Experience & Background

My experience as a therapist is built on almost 20 years of leading yoga and mindfulness classes. My therapy approach centers on inquiry, curiosity, and collaboration. I emphasize integrating body-mind-heart-spirit and community to increase meaning and build fulfilling relationships. 

Personal and professional decisions have allowed me to live in the suburbs and city of Chicago, in rural Appalachia, on the Monterey Bay in Central California, in the Low Country of South Carolina, and now in the Upstate of South Carolina. I have experience of and respect for the differences between rural, suburban, and city life. I’m in awe of the breadth and depth of people and culture in the United States, and my understanding of this has been informed by my time living in the Midwest, on the West Coast, and in the Southeast.

Education

I identify as a lifelong student. I continually cultivate relationships with teachers, mentors, and peers who challenge and inspire me. I trained to become a therapist through the Converse University Marriage and Family Therapy Masters Program (COAMFTE accredited program) and completed my educational practicum with the Emerge Family Therapy Center & Teaching Clinic. I am a member of the Greenville Couples Therapy co-working therapy office and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

To better support my clients, I am pursuing additional training and certification in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy and receive regular supervision from Rachel Chiu, an LMFT and EFT Couples Therapist. I frequently encourage clients to identify and externalize their protective parts, utilizing techniques informed by my studies of mindfulness, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Narrative Therapy. In addition, I seek out opportunities to build and deepen peer relationships formally (through continuing education and peer support) and informally (through individual and group meet-ups).

I began practicing yoga in 2001 and have completed more than 1,000 hours of formal training. I finished my first 200-hour certification in Chicago in 2005. Since then, I also completed a 500-hour certification in Prajna Yoga, a 150-hour certification in SATYA (Sensory Awareness Training for Yoga Attunement), a Trauma-Informed Training, among other continuing education in yoga and mindfulness. For approximately 5 years, I’ve engaged in a weekly cohort that studies yogic philosophy and actively practices its application in life and community.

My goal is to support embodiment and somatic healing in the therapy space by bridging the tools and insight from the yoga and meditation communities with therapy. My yoga and meditation teachers emphasized body-mind-heart-spirit and social justice, and this is the foundation that supports my presence, attention, and care for others as a therapist.

Working Together

In early sessions, we will build a foundation based on your values and identify your therapy goals. At the beginning of each session, we will affirm your current needs and adapt our process to work on your goals and refine them over time. 

In this learning process, I will ask you questions that help us understand your story and its impact on your relationship, family, and life. These conversations may bring up painful memories or emotions that may feel difficult or overwhelming. We will practice courage and awareness in these moments and decide whether to pause or continue with respect and care. 

As a therapist, my role is to support your courage and exploration in the therapy room, which may help you access those characteristics in your life. I recognize that we will build trust with time and repair, and what I say and do is essential in that process. The impact of my words and actions is just as significant to me as my intention, and I strive to learn and do better when they do not align.

Equity Statement

Everyone is worthy of dignity, and I will work to create and maintain a brave, trauma-informed space that values curiosity, agency, trust, adaptability, and affirmation.

I am dedicated to building a therapy space with respect and appreciation for the race, gender, color, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability, age, ancestry, parental status, marital status, relationship status, military status, economic status, religious beliefs, body size, immigration status, sex, and all intersecting identities of all people.

I actively seek continuing education, training programs, and diverse viewpoints. I receive regular guidance from supervisors, mentors, and colleagues who challenge me personally and professionally. My journey involves unlearning and relearning and I hope my efforts will benefit you in your pursuit of joy and meaning. 

We each walk into the room with different experiences and perspectives, and I commit to respectfully supporting you while honoring you and your views. I acknowledge my privilege as a white, cis-gendered woman raised in a midwestern, middle-class, two-parent household. I am college-educated and have an advanced graduate degree. I am currently able-bodied and employed with access to food and shelter. I identify as a daughter, sister, aunt, granddaughter, friend, yoga teacher, mentor, student, and therapist.

Commitment to Lifelong Learning

I continue to read, listen, and discuss diverse resources by individuals sharing their unique stories involving intersections of race, gender, color, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, age, body size, ancestry, parental status, marital status, military status, religious affiliation, economic status, and sex. 

I look forward to working with you as we co-create a space for courage, understanding, and exploration and develop a path to meet your goals. Supporting you in finding the care you need is important to me, so if I am not a good fit, I will provide referrals more closely aligned with your needs.

I’m eager to learn more about you and become a part of your journey. Take the next step by scheduling a free 20-minute introduction.