Anxiety, Communication Problems, Coping Mechanisms, Depression, Emotional Disturbance, Emotional Intelligence, Grief & Loss, Life Transitions, Meditation & Mindfulness, Midlife Crisis, Parenting, Self Esteem, Spirituality, Stress, Substance Use, Trauma, Women's Issues

Over twenty years ago, I started utilizing meditation and self-care practices to transform destructive habits, heal myself, and guide my life.

After half a life time of not fitting into modern systems, I accepted the fact that, it was not only alright not to fit, but important for me to create a path that fits. This took ample attempts of trial and error. In this, I continued to refine my values and needs, some of which include: time, freedom, independence, authenticity, altruism, connection, resources and simplicity. Being a mental health counselor, ended up becoming the perfect fit for me. It allows me to infuse that which is dear to me into my work and it also supports my personal needs.

Without intending for it to be, my life has been centered around personal evolution. I love everything self-care and frequently tell my clients that there isn’t any practice that I recommend to them that I haven’t already tried on myself and found effective. I continue to find myself growing alongside my clients, which makes this work that much more fulfilling.

My work in the helping field began in Tampa Florida in 2004, when I obtained my Bachelors in Special Education. Upon graduating, I took over my internship as a Varying Exceptionalities Teacher at an inner city school. I did that for four years before moving into the private sector, where I worked for families with children with special needs. In tandem, I contracted for a local Head Start program to identify, test and support preschool children with special needs.

In 2010, I took (what was suppose to be) a summer job in San Francisco, California. Four years later, I left California, as well as my job at Easter Seals where I provided therapy for children on the Autism Spectrum.

In 2014 I made my way to Asheville. A few years later, I took my final position as a Special Education teacher. It was there that I discovered the counseling field! I started my graduate studies to become a school counselor. However, after the first semester, I realized I wanted to work with adults and transferred into the Clinical Mental Health Field.

During my last year of grad school, I left my teaching job to move into the mental health field. I worked for a trauma treatment program as a mentor for individuals with complex traumas. In my final semester of graduate studies, I also interned at a residential facility for substance abuse treatment.

I continued to work for the trauma treatment program while building my private practice. Although, I thoroughly enjoy being in private practice, I realized the limitations of working independently as a relatively new counselor. With hopes of finding a small practice of professionals who shared my values and practices to collaborate with, I began a deep dive search into the field and found Strive On Counseling. This group practice was nearly verbatim what I was looking for! So here I am, continuing to learn and grow. Look forward to sharing this journey with you.

University of South Florida - B.S. Education, Varying Exceptionalities

Western Carolina University - M.S. Clinical Mental Health Counseling description

Certified Health and Life Coach