Life is a wild ride
I’m sitting in the driver’s seat in this photo—on the right side of a manual transmission Honda Acty. It was a wild ride—my left hand learned to be my right hand, and muscle memory in my feet took care of the gas, brakes, and clutch. I miss that little truck.
There’s more gray in my hair these days, markers of a journey I’m proud of. As I moved through stressful times, pride emerged with each determined step. I discovered joy in claiming my weirdness, and satisfaction in living by my own rules.
Will any of this help?
A counseling relationship begins with tentative hope. Will this stranger be a good fit? Will they understand and accept me? Will any of this help?
Yes, counseling helps, in ways that are sometimes clear and often mysterious. At first, you will be a stranger to me, but one of my strengths is an open, genuine curiosity about people. I will be glad that you and I are different, and that we will both be enriched by knowing each other.
But will we be a good fit? I don’t know. That question is yours to answer.
The practice of play
For my clients and myself, I want more than “no longer struggling.” Personally and professionally, I support our collective wellbeing, and our ability to flourish.
Our symptoms often have underlying causes. In counseling, we learn to recognize what weighs us down, what pushes us past our limits. We sense the particular signals of our suffering. We listen for what appeals to us, particularly when our awareness of joy and pleasure has diminished to a whisper.
We experience less dread about upcoming sessions. We learn that therapy can be fun, filled with both laughter and tears.
“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision,
then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”
—Audre Lorde
My Credentials
License Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) Certifications National Certified Counselor (NCC)
Education M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Western Washington University
M.Div., Princeton Theological Seminary, B.A. in Psychology, Drew University