ABOUT ME
I am passionate about our natural capacity to transform our lives through transforming our neurobiology- changing how our nervous system and brain are wired. I do this through a heart-centered, body-centered approach rooted in cutting edge science.
My Background and Life Experience
My life path has been guided by a love of people, plants, and the planet. I have worked in the field of social work for over 15 years, including directing non-profits from the Youth Garden Project (originally founded to support troubled youth), the Moab Valley Multicultural Center, and Mindfulness in Education. My humbling experiences as an adoptive parent led me to a passion for attachment and ultimately to become a therapist. In parallel, I have tended my own well-being through deepening my connection with the earth and more-than human world through gardening and time in wild open spaces. At times, this has also been my livelihood -landscape design and installation, market gardening and holistic nutritional consulting. My path and heart have also greatly benefited from meditation over the past 28 years.
My Training
I earned my Masters in Social Work from Utah State University in 2017 and now have my clinical license in Utah and Kansas. I was very fortunate to work at KidsTLC, one of the country’s leading residential care providers for youth, applying cutting edge research in neurobiology and attachment to healing developmental trauma. Through training extensively in Attachment Focused Family Therapy (link to DDP) and Theraplay (link to Theraplay), I have witnessed lives of families transform. I have worked extensively with adoptive families, children in foster care, and families healing the wounds from addiction and domestic violence. Through doing my own work and healing some of my own attachment history in therapy, I have watched my capacity to strengthen attachment in my own family transform.
In addition, I have trained in Mindful Self Compassion (link), Synergetic Play Therapy (link), Yoga, EMDR (link), and have over 20 years experience in teaching mindfulness (which mimics secure attachment in the brain, increasing capacity for emotional regulation, impulse control, attuned communication, thoughtful decision making, empathy, intuition and more). To learn more, click here.
Most recently I have completed a year long (300hour) Eco-chaplaincy program rooted in Buddhist wisdom.
My Values
I deeply value diversity, equity, and inclusion. I grieve for the widespread injustices and resulting trauma impacting Indigenous, Latinx, Black, Asian, and other persons of color. Likewise, for LGBTQ+ communities, and other persons who experience institutional and personal discrimination and exclusion for any reason. I am dedicated to continuing to increase my own awareness that I may better serve these communities and that I dismantle racism and other forms of discrimination in my mind & heart, and in our community and world. No matter your race, faith, worldview, size, ability, or identity, I welcome you.
I value care and compassion and cultivating a deep sense of belonging. I am committed to living simply that all beings may simply live. I am far from perfect in any of these respects but aspire to work to align with these values.