Qualifications & Experience

I have a Master of Social Work from University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from University of California, Davis.

I have certifications in several areas, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, and parenting support and education. I also completed intensive training in identifying, caring for, and resourcing individuals experiencing domestic violence. In addition, I have completed training in play therapy methods, CBT for differing presenting stressors like anxiety, depression, and trauma, post-traumatic stress methods, suicide prevention, and attention and hyperactivity neurodivergence.

Positions that I have held before and while working as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker have been valuable roles in helping me become a more insightful and empathic clinician. Those positions included practically supporting people through life’s stresses, teaching, and managing programs that provided supportive services.

My Call to Christian Counseling

While serving as a missionary in Ireland after college, I had the opportunity to change the course of my future. I wanted to step into a role that allowed me to use the spiritual gifts God had been developing in me throughout my life, of wisdom, discernment, and hospitality. Social work and counseling have been God’s way of using those gifts practically in service of others for His kingdom. I find great joy in counseling, which I have always felt is an affirmation of where God wants me to use my talents to reflect His love and the freedom found in Christ.

More About Me/On a Personal Note

The Bible is clear that God cares deeply about our joy and our rest. I’m always trying in every season to practice and develop those rhythms in my own life and for my clients. If I am not in my office, you will find me doing some sort of activity out in the sun. I enjoy being with my family and thinking about and eating food. I enjoy being creative, which includes making all genres of music my personal soundtrack throughout my day. When I am able to stop myself from buying so much coffee, I collect enough money to put new stamps in my passport.

Areas of Expertise/Specialties

• Attention and Hyperactivity Neurodivergence (including ADHD)
• Anger Management
• Anxiety
• Counseling for Active-duty, Veterans, and First Responders
• Counseling for Children
• Counseling for Teens
• Depression
• Family Counseling
• Individual Counseling
• Online Counseling
• Parenting Education and Support
• Personal Development
• Relationship Issues
• Spiritual Development
• Trauma

Attention and Hyperactivity Neurodivergence (including ADHD)

Managing neurodiversity starts with a deeper understanding of yourself. I will start by working with you to explore how neurodiversity impacts life for you, then we will work together to either adjust or learn new skills to increase focus and task. Counseling ADHD takes a different approach, which means I will adopt a more coaching-style feel, including check-in, accountability, and solution-focused work.

Depression

One of the biggest parts of managing depression is figuring out how it shows up in your life. We will work together to historically look at your symptoms and how they currently present. With a faith-based lens, we will then work to find ways to reduce the areas that are causing the most intense symptoms, asking God to lead you out of the darkness and into His glorious light.

Trauma

Several therapeutic methods have proven to help reduce the “un-fun” parts of trauma, including regulation and processing. I will work with you increase your skills in regulating the physical symptoms of trauma, then we will work together to make sense of the things that happened to you, leaning on God’s kindness and guidance along the way.

Anxiety

Anxiety is counterintuitive when learning to manage the physical symptoms that come from it. We will work together to explore the sources of your anxiety, then make changes to the way you mentally approach those things and how to reduce the worry altogether. Using a combination of biblical teaching and evidence-based practices, we will seek ways to cast your cares on the Lord.

Counseling for Children / Parenting Support

Children are generally very forthright and direct. I offer parenting support to help you address challenging behaviors. Together we will explore what concerns are coming up for your or your child, then discuss how to adjust accordingly, using principles from Scripture combined with proven therapeutic techniques. We’ll continue to follow up with skills for both you and your child to implement in order to change behaviors in a positive way as you look to the Lord for enabling and direction.

Availability (by office location):

• Carlsbad – Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays
• Online Counseling – Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays

Fees: I offer a Risk-Free Initial Session for individuals looking to pursue counseling with me. Please note that there is a fee for the Risk-Free Initial Session as it is a clinical hour and reimbursable to most insurance companies, but if you choose not to reschedule and continue therapy after the initial session, the entire fee for the session will be waived. For ongoing treatment, the full fee per session is required at the time of service.

Insurance: As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), some insurance companies will reimburse for a portion of my services (as an Out-of-Network Provider). Please consult with your insurance provider as to whether they specifically cover children, adolescents, and adult individuals.

Receipts/Statements: In the event you require a printed or digital receipt, I will provide receipts for personal use, insurance reimbursement, Flex Spending Accounts (FSA), and Health Savings Accounts (HSA).

Payment options: Cash, Check, or Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, & American Express). A fee of up to 4% per transaction may be added for credit card payments.