Live with Intention

     As a Marital and Family Therapist for over two decades, I know how difficult it can be to reach out for help. My office is a safe place for all people and all relationships. I graduated from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts, Honors in Psychology, in 1994. I was also interested in and studied women's issues, and volunteered with the Rape Victim Advocacy Center. After graduation, I moved to Indiana, attended a program at Indiana State University which I completed in 1997, obtaining a Master of Science in Marital and Family Therapy. While in Indiana, my internship was as a family therapist in the psychiatric unit of the local hospital. Upon graduation, I returned to Iowa, married, and started a family.

    I have been licensed as a marital and family therapist in Iowa since 1999. My work experience includes providing in-home therapy, supervising an after-school day treatment program for at-risk youth, and providing individual and family therapy for people of all ages. Before opening my own practice, I worked at St. Luke's Hospital in a variety of settings, providing in-patient and out-patient counseling services. As I moved into the private practice setting, I have had the wonderful opportunity to connect with individuals and families, strengthening their relationships, and creating opportunities for growth and self-acceptance. 

     Traditional talk therapy is highly effective for many concerns. However, if we grew up in an environment in which our development was disrupted, we can often feel lost and hurt, and struggle to process the "why" verbally or find solutions. I participated in training under Stephen Terrell, PsyD, SEP, who realized a need in our field to be able to heal non-verbal, or early developmental trauma, without spoken language. He developed Transforming Touch®, a training program designed for understanding and healing developmental trauma: “Transforming the Experience-Based Brain:  An Integrative Neurodevelopmental Approach to the treatment of Developmental Trauma”. Touch work in therapy allows access to our right brain, where emotions and trauma often sit and influence our behaviors in ways that we can't fully access with language. I am excited to offer this as an option in my practice.    

     I am on many EAP and insurance panels, but I encourage you to call your carrier directly to inquire about your individual mental health benefits.