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I am a Licensed Professional Counselor. I have served individuals, couples, and families. I work with a variety of people with emotional and behavioral issues that are affecting their lives: therapy for depression and anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, parenting support, psycho-education, counseling for stress reduction and stress management, career counseling, behavioral interventions, and beyond. I personalize each treatment approach to each individual client and situation, in a comfortable and supportive atmosphere. I also have specialized training in issues of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, anger management, as well as Borderline Personality Disorder.​

I specialize in working with people who have experienced trauma - in particular, I am interested in helping you understand the impacts of transgenerational transfer of trauma - how the issues you faced in your childhood may be repeated when becoming parents, and how this impacts your life and your family.

 

I work with adults recovering from traumatic childhoods, difficult relationships, and life-long struggles with depression and anxiety.  I believe every person has the power within themselves to find fulfillment; sometimes they just need to view their situation from a different angle with a neutral party to find the right path. I am a general practitioner, meaning I work with a variety of concerns. I specialize in helping others process traumatic experiences so those experiences become a source of strength and growth.

 

I earned my Master’s Degree in Counseling from Central Michigan University. I have training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Trauma Recovery and Empowerment (TREM), and Motivational Interviewing, as well as grief and loss issues. Besides working in a traditional Community Mental Health therapy setting as a counselor and case manager, I have also provided counseling to families in crisis while working at my local Domestic Violence shelter for over six years.  I also currently facilitate an Alternatives to Violence group for men (ATV) utilizing the Duluth Model. 

 

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MA, Counseling Central Michigan University 2011

BA, Central Michigan University, 2005

Michigan License #:     6401012948    

Member American Counseling Association-Member ID: 6272818

 

While attending Central Michigan University to complete my Masters of Art degree for counseling I worked at WISE-Women’s Information Services as a domestic violence advocate serving women, children, men and the LGBT community.  Services included but were not limited to individual counseling, group counseling, housing assistance, and legal advocacy.

During my internship for my Master’s degree I worked for Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, primarily in Manistee and Muskegon counties.  I was employed to build and create the domestic violence program for LRBOI Family Services.  My time included creating, and building the grant funded program to reach out to and serve tribal members in a nine county area that were requesting assistance, counseling and support with current or past domestic violence related issues.  Services included but were not limited to individual counseling, legal advocacy, locating and linking to community resources, and addressing substance use issues.

After graduation from Central Michigan University, with my Master’s Degree in hand, I took a position with Newaygo Community Mental Health where I worked as a counselor/case manager.  I facilitated DBT- Dialectical Behavior Therapy groups, and TREM-Trauma Recovery and Empowerment groups.  I also worked with consumers in individual therapy addressing budgeting, employment, substance use, anger management, domestic violence, anxiety, self-harm, suicidal ideation and other issue the consumer identified as an important to him/her in their personal life that they would like to address through individual counseling.

I currently run an ATV Group-Alternatives to Violence for men in Newaygo county.  This group utilizes The Duluth Model which believes that battering is a pattern of actions used to intentionally control or dominate an intimate partner and actively works to change societal conditions that support men’s use of tactics of power and control over women, it offers change opportunities for offenders through court-ordered educational groups for batterers.  And working to open my own private practice.

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