WHO WE ARE

As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Trauma and Loss Specialist, I am experienced working with children, teens, and adults to assist in rebuilding balance. Based upon my clinical experience, I believe that expressive arts can make a significant impact on increasing self-understanding and finding your voice.

I graduated in 2000 from Radford University in Southwest Virginia with a Bachelors Degree in Psychology.  I continued my education at Florida Gulf Coast University and earned a Masters Degree in Mental Health Counseling in 2005.  During my Masters-level education, my internship was completed at Southwest Florida Addiction Services. Starting in 2005, I began working with children, teens, and their families in the residential and outpatient non-profit setting addressing issues such as ungovernable behaviors, parent-child conflict, peer relationship problems, self-destructive behaviors, trauma and abuse, grief and loss, and mood disorders.  I also gained extensive experience working with adults who struggle with depression, anxiety, mood disorders, trauma and loss, childhood abuse, relationship challenges, and overall adjustment problems to everyday life stressors.

In 2009, I became licensed as a Mental Health Counselor in the State of Florida.  During my time working in the non-profit agency setting, I was promoted from a therapist position up to the Assistant Clinical Director. In 2010, I became a Certified Trauma and Loss Specialist (CTS) for children, adolescents, adults, and parents from the National Institute of Trauma and Loss.  This training was extremely helpful in understanding how trauma impacts a person’s overall ability to function.   The training also increased my skills in providing effective treatment to overcome the imprint of trauma and loss.  In 2012 and 2013, I presented “Creativity in Counseling” at the Krimes Against Kids Conference in Orlando, Florida. The presentation explained how trauma impacts the brain and how the expressive arts can tap into the trauma memory in order to regulate emotions, challenge inaccurate beliefs, and process the trauma history to promote posttraumatic growth. I am also a trained Qualified Supervisor for up and coming therapists in their Post-Masters internship requirements to become licensed in the State of Florida.

Through my experiences working in this profession, I have witnessed clients demonstrate their commitment to overcoming challenges and embracing change step by step.  It is an honor to have the opportunity to support those in their transformation.

At the Aim Counseling group, my associates are trained and supervised to provide quality and effective mental health care.