Professionally
I received my MA in Psychology from Seattle University; while there, I was involved in two research projects investigating dreams and intimacy, subjects which continue to hold my interest. I also studied focusing, a technique that helps clients gain knowledge and healing through exploring a “felt sense,” which I now understand to be the language of the soul. My current interest lies in understanding and addressing narcissistic abuse and gaslighting on both the individual and collective level.
I hold a BA in English Literature from Willamette University as well as an additional MA from University of Oregon in Cultural Studies with an emphasis in Film. My involvement in the arts is driven by my interest in the human condition and also informs the spirit of creativity and imagination I bring to my work with clients. In addition to my 13+ years in private practice, I also have experience working in a variety of mental health and social service organizations, including YWCA Pathways Counseling, Navos, Central City Concern, Portland Women’s Crisis Line and CASA of WA. I have studied extensively what is means to be an HSP, and I have knowledge of the chakra system, meditation and various spiritual perspectives, including Paganism, Shamanism, Buddhism, Sufism and Christianity.
Personally
I love exploring nature and the arts, including writing, music, pottery, dance and film, and I carry with me a deep understanding of and appreciation for what it means to be human, the joy and sorrow, success and failure, love and loss. I know how it feels to be hard on yourself, to be stuck in indecision, anxiety and paralysis and to search for meaning and a way to feel more connected and fulfilled. I also know what it means to be an HSP/Empath and to struggle with navigating the world and the mental, emotional and physical strain that can come from this. My number one goal as a person is to live as a vital, embodied human being, not perfect but real, not finished but always becoming. Through spiritual practice and continual lived exploration, I have learned what it means to follow my energy, to find and create magic and to joyfully engage with life, to laugh and play. In working with you, it is my hope to teach you how to powerfully relate to the world around you, to live your truth and to find fun where you least expect it.