about
I worked with my first client in May 2021. I had moved to a new city in the to study my Master’s in Counseling where I didn’t know anyone, on the heels of a year of traveling the world following an unexpected loss. As I sat with that client, I thought “They probably think I have it all figured out.” Spoiler alert: I didn’t – and I don’t.
But what I do know for sure is this: human connection matters.
In my own hardest seasons of life, what has mattered to me most are the people who have taken time to listen to me, counsel me, and just be with me. These experiences now shape how I show up as a therapist. In the same way that those people were present to me, my hope in our work together is to be fully present to you (or attuned, as we say in the counseling world) – on the good days and the hard days and all the days in between.
Outside of counseling, life has been quite an adventure. After finishing my studies, I spent two weeks in Switzerland at a place called L’Abri where I met my now-husband. After dating long-distance between the U.S. and Australia, we married in Michigan and eventually settled in Perth, Western Australia. These days, you’ll often find us soaking up the sun, welcoming people into our home for a meal and board games, and savoring unhurried time together.
Experiences
EDUCATON:
Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
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I’ve lived in, stayed at, and visited nearly 50 countries.
All have taught me something that helps me be a better therapist and person. Here are a few highlights.
PLACES I’VE LIVED:
North Dakota, USA
Chicago, USA
New York City, USA
Michigan, USA
Perth, Australia
PLACE I’VE STAYED:
Awano, Japan
Commercy, France
Lilongwe, Malawi
Lima, Peru
PLACE I’VE VISITED:
Chișinău, Moldova
Cape Town, South Africa
Beijing, China
Antartica
Core Values
With my clients, I frequently explore core values – the things that are most important to us and that shape how we make decisions. Oftentimes when we are making choices that are misaligned with our values, we’ll feel anxious, on edge, and out of sorts. But when we make decisions that align with our values, we are often able to move forward with confidence, courage, and strength.
Here are a few of my core values which shape who I am as a therapist.
AUTHENTICITY: I value showing up as my authentic self in any and all environments – including our sessions. But I wasn’t always this way – it’s something I’ve grown in.
CONNECTION: I value connecting deeply with others. I consider it an honor that I am able to connect daily with clients’ most precious parts of themselves.
FLEXIBILITY: I value living a life that has room for change and flexibility. One perk of being a counselor is that the schedule can ebb and flow with my current stage of life – whether staying put in one place, visiting family back home or on an adventure.
WANT TO EXPLORE YOUR CORE VALUES?