Most everything I need to know as a counselor, I learned from Mr. Rogers and Daniel Tiger. Well, mostly… Mr. Rogers believed, that “discovering the truth about ourselves is a lifetime’s work, but it’s worth the effort.” He taught me to see people as individuals who are special just the way they are. Daniel Tiger taught me how to teach emotion regulation to children, starting with my own. The adults in Daniel Tiger’s life beautifully model how to be an emotion coach for children.
What Daniel Tiger and Mr. Rogers could not teach me, I learned from Liberty University where I earned a master’s in professional counseling. As a counselor under supervision, I am currently working towards a license as a Professional Counselor – Mental Health Service Provider in the state of Tennessee. I have training in Child Parent Psychotherapy, Acceptance Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Parent Child Interaction Therapy, Child Adult Relationship Enhancement Skills, and DC:0–5™: Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood. In addition, I have training in Advanced Perinatal Mental Health from Postpartum Support International. My experience includes working with children and women, teaching parenting skills, providing postpartum care to families, addiction treatment for women, and coordinating care with multiple agencies and providers. I also serve as adjunct instructor for Parenting Education and Guidance at Johnson University.
I enjoy helping children, parents, and caregivers improve bonding and attachment. Sometimes relationships are strained during and after difficult or traumatic events which can include separation, divorce, adoption, accidents, difficult births, substance misuse disorders, etc. I also enjoy helping children and adolescents express their emotions in healthy ways and process events through play or other hands-on experiences like sand tray therapy. I work to use evidence based and research backed treatment modalities. My person-centered approach allows me the opportunity to respect adults and children as they are while helping them move forward towards their goals.
In my personal time, I enjoy spending time with my family. My husband and I have three daughters. We spend a lot of time outdoors and at the softball fields. I also enjoy photography and reading. And, yes, I can be found watching a few episodes of Daniel Tiger or Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood from time to time.
Supervisor for Licensure: Dr. Kristel Headley, LPC-MHSP, ACS