I have worked in the behavioral health field since 1999, initially as a chemical dependency counselor, receiving my LCDC in 2003 and my LPC in 2007.   I have worked with various government and private agencies, serving populations such as the mentally ill, the homeless, jail diversion clients, and the handicapped.  Many of these persons have been abused and traumatized and have lacked any real personal support system.  I am also certified in the Prepare/Enrich couples assessment program, working with married and engaged couples.  My specialties include mental health and substance abuse/dependence, but I also have extensive experience in working with couples, children and families.

Every person, as they experience life, will have situations occur that challenge or even traumatize them.  Without sufficient emotional support, people often respond to such situations by either passively allowing them to continue or attempting to escape them if they can.  Either way, they generally emerge from them as wounded persons in need of healing.  The healing process is often not easy, but can eventually lead to an improved sense of self and an ability to relate to others and give/receive emotional support in ways that they were not able to previously.  This generally involves examining a person’s thoughts and feelings, comparing them with the observable reality that they see around them.  When they do not perceive reality for what it actually is, often there is a disconnect, caused by thinking errors or misconceptions of themselves or the daily reality that they experience.  Motivation to change and face the emotional wounds that promote this confusion is often the first step in the healing process.  Also, an awareness of what the Bible says about how reaching out to God can help in this process is often helpful, if the client is open to this.