About
My Road
I am a licensed therapist with over 10 years of experience. I specialize in working with clients who struggle with sleep, anxiety, and the habits that keep them going. My approach centers primarily on teaching my clients to use mindfulness techniques to engage their difficult thoughts with compassion, thus integrating them into their authentic self and removing shame.
I too have had to wrestle through the pain of depression. For years, I felt “stuck” in some pretty deep ruts and no amount of willpower on my part seemed to get me “unstuck”—at least not for the long term. I’m grateful for this difficult journey, as it led me to discover a process which has proven effective both for myself and others.
The good news is this: if you find your wheels spinning at an intersection in your life—whether due to struggling with your sleep, anxiety or habits that keep you stuck—you truly can find traction again. The path out lies in greater acceptance of self, compassionate engagement with your emotions, and freeing yourself from shame. Learning these skills will move you forward. Life can change for the better. It has for me and it can for you.
My Education
I hold a B.A. in Psychology from North Park University in Illinois. My introduction to counseling began as an intern at the Beloit Memorial Hospital counseling center. I explored a broader range of counseling experience at a nonprofit organization that provides services for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. I later studied at the University of Glasgow in Scotland and interned at the Charlie Reid Centre. There I facilitated groups for individuals living with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. After moving to Denver, I expanded my counseling experience by completing an internship at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. In 2010, I earned my M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Argosy University.
My work experience has involved providing individual and group therapy in a variety of clinical settings including at a treatment agency focusing on helping those who struggle with addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders. While there, I administered substance use and mental health evaluations, and I conducted an Intensive Outpatient Program and a Relapse Prevention therapy group. For two years, I worked in a group practice setting, and in 2012, I began my own practice, Intersection Counseling.
In addition to providing mental health therapy, I also have six years of experience teaching at the Colorado School for Family Therapy as a State of Colorado Office of Behavioral Health approved instructor for Pharmacology, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. In February of 2021, I was awarded the Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) credential from the Center for Credentialing and Education.
My Approach
Making the decision to begin counseling or therapy is a big step and trying to find the right therapist can be daunting and intimidating. Because a positive relationship between a client and a therapist is fundamental to effective and lasting therapy, it’s important to find a therapist with whom you are comfortable and can trust. My therapeutic approach largely follows Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT).
We will begin by identifying what your personal values are, working together to clarify what is most meaningful and important to you. Your values will be the guideposts to all that we do together, as you learn to engage with those parts of you that perhaps you have been hiding from. Instead of fear, you will learn compassion and then acceptance. With shame removed, this will free your whole self to not only pursue, but also to obtain goals that will enrich your life. Through a variety of mindfulness-based experiential exercises, you will learn to take action and make lasting change.