My Approach to Healing
Healing is not about erasing the past, suppressing difficult emotions, or rushing toward closure. It is about understanding what you have experienced, developing healthier ways to cope, and strengthening your ability to live with greater balance, confidence, and purpose.
My services support individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, grief, loss, trauma, and other life challenges. I provide a compassionate, supportive environment where you can explore your thoughts and emotions, build practical coping skills, and move toward meaningful and lasting change.
I use evidence-based, trauma-informed approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). I personalize treatment to your unique experiences, needs, and goals.
Choice and Personal Agency in Healing
Choice is an important part of the healing process. Difficult experiences can leave you feeling powerless, overwhelmed, or disconnected from your own voice. Therapy can provide an opportunity to restore a sense of control by helping you identify what matters to you and make choices that support your well-being.
I believe you should have an active voice in your treatment. I will work collaboratively with you to determine the pace, focus, and therapeutic approaches that feel appropriate for your needs. You may choose what you are ready to explore, which goals you want to prioritize, and what meaningful progress looks like for you.
Healing is not something that is done to you. It is a process in which your experiences, values, boundaries, and choices are respected. As you strengthen your ability to make intentional decisions, you can begin to move forward with a greater sense of confidence, empowerment, and ownership over your life.
Self-Compassion: A Critical Pivot Point in Healing
Self-compassion is often a critical turning point in the healing process. Depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, and loss can lead to harsh self-judgment, guilt, shame, or the belief that you should be coping differently. These internal pressures can deepen emotional pain and make it more difficult to move forward.
I help you learn to respond to yourself with the same patience, understanding, and kindness you would offer someone you care about. Self-compassion does not mean avoiding responsibility, minimizing painful experiences, or giving up. It means recognizing your humanity, acknowledging your pain without judgment, and allowing yourself the support needed to heal.
As self-criticism begins to soften, it often becomes easier to process difficult emotions, challenge unhelpful beliefs, practice healthier coping skills, and reconnect with hope. Self-compassion can become the bridge between understanding what has happened and beginning to move forward with greater confidence and resilience.
You Do Not Have to Face This Alone
Depression, anxiety, grief, and trauma can feel isolating, even when you are surrounded by people who care about you. Therapy offers a safe place to feel heard, understood, and supported without judgment.
I will work with you to explore what you are experiencing, identify patterns that may be keeping you stuck, and develop tools to help you feel more grounded and in control. Healing may include processing the past, managing present challenges, strengthening relationships, rebuilding confidence, practicing self-compassion, and rediscovering moments of connection, hope, and peace.
Healing does not mean forgetting what happened or pretending that the pain never existed. It means learning to carry your experiences in a way that no longer prevents you from moving forward.
When you are ready, I am here to walk alongside you with compassion, patience, and care as you create a healthier and more hopeful future.
Education
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University of Utah, MSW
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Weber State University, BS Psychology and Child Development
Additional Credentials
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LCSW, CSW
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EMDR / HAP Certified
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Maternal Mental Health Certification / Postpartum Support International
Much of my adult life was devoted to caregiving for my children, including one with special needs. I later worked in hospice care, deepening my compassion and perspective. Returning to the profession, I now blend lived experience with clinical training to support others with empathy and insight.
I specialize in grief, loss, and trauma, with a focus on the emotional impact of death and major life transitions. I am EMDR-certified and work with individuals affected by both childhood and adult trauma. I also have extensive experience treating anxiety, trauma-related concerns, and depression.