Education/Training
I completed a master’s degree in counseling at the University of Missouri before I obtained a doctorate in Counseling Psychology from the University of Memphis. My doctoral education included a year-long APA-accredited internship at the Texas Tech University Student Counseling Center. After graduating, I completed a Post-doctoral Residency at Arizona State University Counseling Services. Throughout my education, I engaged in clinical training which involved individual, group, and relationship counseling in various settings, including university counseling centers and community mental health agencies. These experiences taught me to address a wide range of mental health needs using evidence-based practices with specific training related to domestic violence, sexual assault, disordered eating, and sexuality and gender identity.
I am licensed as a psychologist in the state of Arizona (PSY4787) by the Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners. Additionally, I am a Psypact clinician, which allows me to see individuals living the Psypact states.
Approach to Therapy
We are all doing the best we can to live a meaningful life consistent with our values and goals. Additionally, we all crave connection and acceptance in relationships. We learn ways to interact with others and our world through our experiences but sometimes what we learned in the past no longer works or fits with our current environment. This can lead to disconnection, shame, fear, self-doubt, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. However, we all have the capacity and ability to grow, change, and learn, especially in the context of a supportive, accepting, and connected relationship. Therefore, my approach to therapy is to first form a relationship where others feel understood, cared for, accepted, and able to share their whole selves in order to begin exploring past experiences, thoughts about self, and emotions. This creates a setting where we can work collaboratively to identify and move toward goals. I also strive to approach everyone as an individual with unique identities as well as personal, family, and societal factors that influence their experiences and have a commitment to maintaining a multicultural perspective with each individual.