Children are truly a gift to our world as they bring smiles and an ability to help us stop and smell the roses. I value working with parents, foster parents, adoptive parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, teachers, volunteers and other people who work with young children as they strive to encourage positive growth in their children’s lives. While my journey began babysitting when I was just a child myself, I now come from the perspective of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Registered Play Therapist, and have certifications in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I enjoy learning as we daily discover more about the human body and brain. Different people have different needs, but I believe systems theory, as well as a cognitive behavioral and client centered approach, a good understanding of the brain and working on our nervous system give a good basis for growth. It doesn't matter how many classes I take or certifications I gain, I truly believe the client is capable of building on their own strengths to help discern which tools are effective for progress. I also recognize that sometimes we all need a little help as we walk new paths and it is much more pleasant to do it with others. This thought has brought me to have a real desire to provide these classes as well as an ongoing online community for people walking down this road with children. It is important to have an awareness and proceed with a purpose!

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Over the years, I have worked as an intensive in-home counselor, a counselor and supervisor for therapeutic day treatment in the schools, an outpatient therapist and a residential treatment therapist. These experiences, along with parenting three children and working with children and youth in my previous career, have helped me grasp some of the issues that families and others working with children face. These experiences have brought me to a place where I enjoy problem solving with parents, families and teachers. After working in the church, I attended Virginia Commonwealth University to obtain my Master of Social Work in 2013. 

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If you would like to know more about me... I have worked with the ASSIST Living Works Suicide Prevention program, which assists others in addressing the barriers surrounding suicide in order to talk freely about a delicate topic in our society. In addition, the toddlers at my church help me to stay young getting up and down off the floor on a weekly basis and their smiles make it all worth while! Prior to becoming a therapist, I graduated from Duke Divinity School with a Master's in Religious Education, Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity and worked in the church as a minister. While my worldview is Christian and I hope everyone can have a spiritual journey, I am respectful of various views about spirituality. Mostly, I appreciate the importance of walking with people as they move toward more purposeful and meaningful lives. Some days that is difficult and I value the advice of Martin Luther King, Jr. when he said "If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, keep moving forward." Some days, it's difficult to run, but we can all move forward together! I would be honored to walk with you as you proceed with purpose in your journey with your children.