I became a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in 2003. I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in General Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Asheville in 1997, then completed my Master of Science degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Nova Southeastern University in 1999.
I have spent the majority of my career working with individuals, couples and families coping with mental health issues, change, loss and all types of chronic illness and trauma-related disorders. I am currently in practice specializing in couples' issues, family systems issues, women's issues, and supporting first responders and other highly achieving professionals and individuals coping with depression, anxiety, complex trauma, and bereavement.
I am also a Certified Alzheimer’s Level I and II Trainer through the University of South Florida, providing dementia-specific training and support to family caregivers as well as healthcare professionals. Additionally, I am CISM-trained to provide crisis intervention to first responders, schools, and other local community organizations who have endured a sudden loss or traumatic event. I am trained in CBT, mindfulness meditation practices, EMDR, and hypnotherapy.
I have experience not only in non-profit agency roles, but have also worked in healthcare administration, including clinical work in integrative medicine, oncology, psychiatry, substance abuse, and dementia-specific services. Additionally, I was on faculty at the University of Phoenix, teaching virtual classes for the College of Health Sciences and Nursing for ten years.
My next goal is to become a Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional, which will align my training and experience to optimize my client's healing, both the mind and the body, with a focus on healthy recovery in all aspects of wellness. Other aspirations include becoming a published book author, and expanding my hypnotherapy practice to focus on integrative health and wellness therapies for those who are eager and motivated to transform their lives.
Additional areas of focus: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, LGBT, Intimacy-related issues, Parenting issues, Self esteem, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Depression, Coaching, Compassion fatigue, Adoption and foster care, Aging and geriatric issues, Attachment issues, Blended family issues, Body image, Cancer, Caregiver issues and stress, Codependency, Divorce and separation, Family of origin issues, Family problems, First responder issues, Guilt and shame, Hospice and end-of-life counseling, Infidelity, Life purpose, Midlife crisis, Mood disorders, Postpartum depression, Post-traumatic stress, Pregnancy and childbirth, Women's issues, Young adult issues
Clinical approaches: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Attachment-Based Therapy, Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Gottman Method, Hypnotherapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems
FL LMFT MT2005