My passion as a therapist is to aid individuals and families who are struggling with issues related to addiction, relationships, life transitions, parenting, or navigating adolescence, especially while dealing with substance use issues. I will work collaboratively with you to find ways to address all challenges related to living life on life’s terms especially when dealing with alcohol and drug use, my chosen area of specialization. I have extensive personal and professional experience with addiction and codependency.

My approach as a therapist is to work with you to help you understand your strengths and access those strengths to gain skills to live a life worth living, to find meaning in your existence. You are the expert on your own life, and my job is to listen for understanding. There are many paths to recovery and together you and I will work to find what path may be best for you.

I have a MA in Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy and I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist as well as a Substance Use Disorder Certified Counselor. Additionally, I have two master’s degrees in education, and I am a certified educator with decades of experience teaching all ages from preschool to graduate school. I started my career as an accountant and businessperson before I became a teacher, a teacher and parent educator, a school principal and ultimately a psychotherapist. As a therapist, while my focus is on addictions, I have worked with parents, teachers, and business leaders to address the day-to-day stressors of their work and their lives. I have traveled and done educational presentations throughout the United States as well as in Australia and China. I have lived in nine different states, been married for 36 years and have raised three children. I love spending time with family, being in nature, scuba diving and all animals; I especially love spending time with my two rescue dogs, Bear and Freya, and two semi-feral rescued cats, Bender and Fry. My pronouns are he/him/his.