Professionally
I have 20 years of professional experience working in the social work field with an extensive, specialized history working with children, adolescents and young adults who have experienced abuse, neglect, trauma, and tragedy and their families. This work has occurred across many settings from community based to residential treatment and secure juvenile facilities. As a private practice therapist for the last eight years, my services have come to include individual therapy, family therapy, facilitating groups, and training.
Over the course of the last fourteen years, I worked primarily with children and adolescents who have committed sexual offenses. More recently, I have worked collaboratively with the 1st Judicial District Attorney’s office developing a curriculum three years ago relating specifically to sexting. This program is the first of its kind in the State of Colorado. Through my work with the District Attorney’s office and the offense-specific population I have come to recognize the patterns of low self-esteem, lack of empathy and poor relationship skills occurring not only with the perpetrators but the victim as well.
My approach is professional and therapeutic. My focus is addressing empathy, peer pressure, and refusal skills while simultaneously learning to build healthy relationships, conflict resolutions skills, increase self-esteem, improve communication and strengthen coping skills. Together, we build strengths to empower you or your child to make positive changes and improve relationships.
My extensive experience has proven successful with a variety of clientele. From adolescents involved in the juvenile justice system learning to navigate their way to a bright and successful future to helping other adolescents from becoming future court-ordered clients.
Personally
Being a teenager is difficult, especially being a teenager in the 21st century. I was raised in a loving and supportive family but like every family, we had our issues. No matter what my parents had to say, I didn’t want to listen. Luckily I had three positive adults who saw something in me and took me under their wing offering support and guidance: a guidance counselor, a business teacher, and a field hockey coach.
After losing a close friend suddenly at the end of eighth grade and being picked on in high school because of a rumor that spread around the high school, I was on a pretty self-destructive path. If it wasn’t for those three individuals I wouldn’t have been successful. I’m filled with gratitude and have made it my life’s work to pay it forward in their honor. Providing assistance and support to today’s youth similarly to the way those adults helped me.
Originally from Buffalo, New York I relocated to Colorado nineteen years ago. My downtime is spent enjoying colorful Colorado with close friends and family. I love to hike, camp, snowshoe, cook and complete DIY projects.