My Journey to Becoming a Counselor
I was born into a military family, living in VA, Panama, Monterey, and San Diego before moving to North Carolina, the first place I called home. There, I discovered my deep love for nature: plants, animals, exploration, and all things wild.
I followed my heart out west for my undergraduate studies, deciding on Colorado, sight unseen, because I had spent the least amount of time exploring this part of the country and because I heard there were horses out west. I earned my degree in English Literature with a minor in Ethnic Studies at CU Boulder, guided by a passion for people and their stories. Literature allowed me to explore the lives of individuals across time and space, understanding their struggles and resilience, while Ethnic Studies deepened my awareness of race, identity, and the systemic forces shaping marginalized communities.
Admittedly, finishing school, I vowed never to go back unless what I decided I wanted to “do with my life” required further education. While I loved learning, I craved being out of a classroom and yearned for experience and exposure through traveling, connection, and relationships.
Years later, life handed me something I wasn’t prepared for—an overwhelming pain that brought me, for the first time, to therapy. I didn’t want to ask for help, I wasn’t sure how, but I showed up. Sitting in a room one-on-one felt like too much at the time, but by trusting the process, I found equine therapy—and everything shifted.
I know what it feels like to be stuck, scared, lost, and afraid to ask for help. I’ve been the person who doubted healing was even possible—and yet, I chose to take the first step. I hope to be a compassionate presence for you when you’re ready to take yours. To offer gifts that were so generously given to me: support, kindness, consistency, care, and wisdom.
My Approach to Counseling
I view counseling as a collaborative process. My goal is to create a space where growth can truly happen—a space where you feel safe, supported, heard, and free from judgment, and where you are met exactly as you are. As a listener, a steady presence, and a gentle guide, I aim to create a space that reflects the grounding and wisdom I’ve learned from the natural world, especially from horses.
Desired Areas of Specialty
Drawing on animal-assisted, equine, nature-based, experiential, and talk therapy, I take a holistic approach to healing—honoring mind, body, and spirit. I work with adults, teens, and kids who are experiencing or have experienced:
- Grief and loss
- Life transitions
- Childhood trauma
- Relationships
- Family systems
- Personal growth
- Self confidence
- Life adjustment
Degrees and Credentials
- BA English Literature, Minor Ethnic Studies – CU Boulder
- Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling – Regis University (In Progress)
- Gestalt Equine Psychotherapy – (In Progress)
- Member of the American Counseling Association