ABOUT ME

Professionally: I have enjoyed working with children & families in Whatcom County for over twenty-five years.

I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology/Mental Health from Western Washington University, a Master’s degree in Community Mental Health Counseling from Seattle Pacific University and a School Counseling ESA credential from the University of Washington. I am also a fully licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) through the Washington State Department of Health and am always actively involved in continuing education coursework.

Collectively, I have over twenty-five years of counseling experience working with children, teens and families as a mental health therapist and as a school counselor, and over thirty years of volunteer experience working with local migrant families, local unsheltered families, and with various other Whatcom County organizations dedicated to youth and family advocacy.

Personally: I am passionate about my work, about building authentic relationships, about nature, about really good food, about practicing and encouraging self-care for our mind, body & spirit, about embracing diversity, and about sharing the messiness and imperfection of real-life with others. My personal pronouns are she/her.

When I am not working, I enjoy being outdoors with friends, family, or in quiet solitude. I am a big fan of 'ecopsychology' (being a good steward of our natural environment and spending quality time in it) as a personal practice and as a therapeutic intervention for children and families. I am married and we have two grown children. As a family we have enjoyed adventure traveling, hiking, mountain biking, 'triathlon-ing', organic gardening and exploring new and natural places. I am also a novice paddler and an open water swimmer.

Probably a lot like most families, our family sometimes feels cohesive and sometimes it does not. Together we have navigated challenging seasons of physical, emotional, spiritual, and academic struggle. We work hard to support one another. We also care deeply about community support and about using our strengths (and our struggles) to build genuine, real relationships and to engage in worthwhile community service. We believe that collectively and individually it is our privilege to live responsibly and compassionately in the world, to invest in the lives of those around us, and to do so with a spirit of humility and without judgement.