God is aware of every detail of your life, and He understands how you feel. Anger, sorrow, betrayal, hurt, and fear are all part of this mortal existence, but God longs for us to have joy and happiness as well. With more than three decades of counseling experience, I work with clients of all ages, from children through elderly adults, including individual, couples and family. No matter what you’re going through – anxiety, depression, family issues, relationship problems, trauma, or other concerns – help is available, and I would be honored to walk with you toward recovery and hope.
My Goal as a Christian Counselor
My goal as your counselor is for you to gain knowledge and understanding of your current situation along with the confidence and courage to improve your life, with God’s help. My hope is to help you see that tomorrow is a new day. “For his anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). The sun always comes up in the morning. It may be covered by clouds, but it is always there and it will shine again.
What I Offer in Christian Counseling
I offer a welcoming environment where you can feel safe and comfortable sharing your story. With empathy and understanding, I will provide the encouragement and support you need to build confidence and learn the necessary skills to overcome the challenges you face. I also offer decades of counseling experience to help you address your concerns and develop an effective treatment plan catered just for you. Together, and with God’s help, healing is possible.
My Approach to Christian Counseling
Drawing from the Adlerian approach, Witmer and Sweeney’s model identifies five life tasks as spirituality, self-regulation, work, friendship, and love. This is often depicted in a pie graph. As a Christian counselor, I have modified the graph depicting an umbrella with the word Spirituality written on it and the other four categories on the spikes under the umbrella. This helps clients see that all decisions in the four categories are made and protected under the umbrella of our spirituality. I have seen God use this concept to change the way people conduct their day-to-day living and heal many from the heartaches associated with poor decision making.
Qualifications & Experience
I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and a Certified Adlerian Psychotherapist with over 30 years of professional experience. I have a BA in Psychology and a BA in Secondary Education, both from the University of Northern Iowa and an MA in Agency Counseling from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. I worked for three years as a High School Substitute Teacher by day while getting my Master's Degree at night. I was employed by Methodist Hospital as a Mental Health Therapist working in an Omaha Public School helping teens with various mental health issues, while also providing Intensive Family Therapy two nights per week, for over twelve years. I also worked at Mars and Venus Counseling Center with author John Gray.
My Call to Christian Counseling
I feel God provided me with therapeutic skills and led me to this career to help His children.
More About Me/On a Personal Note
I love country music, line dancing, bird watching, hiking, and camping. I love dogs and I am preparing to breed Pomskies, a.k.a. miniature Huskies. Best dog breed ever! I also crochet, draw, and paint. I wrote a book called Snow Owl and am currently writing a parenting book titled Time In. I enjoy traveling with my husband to visit our TEN grown children, yes ten children and one grandchild, who seem to be spreading around the globe.
Areas of Expertise/Specialties
- Abandonment and Neglect
- ADHD
- Aging and Geriatric Issues
- Anger Management
- Anxiety
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Bipolar Disorder
- Chemical Dependency
- Coaching
- Counseling for Children
- Counseling for Teens
- Couples Counseling
- Codependency
- Depression
- Eating Disorders
- Family Counseling
- Grief and Loss
- Individual Counseling
- Infidelity and Affairs
- Intensive Marriage Counseling
- Lifespan Integration
- Marriage Counseling
- Men’s Issues
- OCD
- Online Counseling
- Personal Development
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Premarital Counseling
- Relationship Issues
- Sex and Porn Addiction
- Sexual Abuse
- Spiritual Development
- Trauma
- Weight Loss
- Women’s Issues
Family Issues and Parenting
Kids use their behavior to show what they are feeling, thinking, and needing. Often they are communicating something through their behavior that they aren’t able to verbalize. All behavior is purposeful and as your counselor, I will help you understand your children’s underlying motivations. Come learn fast, effective, and creative ways to motivate and teach your children.
Relationship Counseling and Relationship Enhancement Program
CLICK HERE to learn more about the Relationship Enhancement Program that I created and conduct for those desiring to enhance their relationships.
Whether you are looking for Premarital, Marriage, or help in co-parenting through Divorce Counseling, you will benefit from relationship enhancement skills. As your counselor, I will help you navigate through your differences, resolve conflicts, and build trust, cooperation, and commitment to work together effectively.
Depression / Mood Disorders
It’s normal for your mood to change depending on the situation you’re in. However, with mood disorders, symptoms can last from months to years. Mood disorders can cause changes in your behavior and can affect your ability to perform routine activities. As your therapist, I will help you manage your symptoms and provide support, understanding, and guidance to help you function better and increase your well-being. We will utilize effective skills from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Solution-focused Therapy.
Personal Growth / Development / Life Coaching
What is the meaning of life? A commonly asked question. Is it not to endure through this mortal existence the best we can, to learn to be Christlike, and to prepare to be with God? As your counselor, I will help you with self-improvement, setting realistic goals, problem-solving skills, and increasing self-worth. You can make change by setting achievable goals to increase your faith, grow closer to God, understand your purpose, and serve others more effectively. With coaching and encouragement, you can improve spontaneity, intellectual stimulation, creativity, sense of humor, fitness, and health.
Anxiety / Trauma / Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Experiencing trauma can lead to a list of unpleasant symptoms and an easily triggered “fight or flight” response mechanism, which is what makes you feel jumpy and on edge. Constantly trying to shut down could lead to feeling emotionally cold, removed, and feeling you may never get your life back. As your counselor, I will help you overcome your suffering by using CBT skills, Cognitive Process Therapy, and Prolonged Exposure Techniques. I will work to help you recover and find peace once again.
Sessions: I offer 53-minute sessions. Sessions can be held more than once per week, weekly, or every other week. Scheduling options are discussed in greater detail during your Risk-Free Initial Session.
Availability (by office location):
- Kirkland – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday
- Online (WA only) – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday
Fees: I offer a Risk-Free Initial Session for individuals and couples 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 Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), 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 adolescents, individuals and couples.
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 will be added for credit card payments.
