As a young adult I was introduced to the value of helping others while volunteering at a children’s grief camp. It was through this exposure to healing pain through support and creativity that I chose a career in social service. Although I didn’t consider myself to be an artist, I believed wholeheartedly that the expressive properties of art had the power to help people restore their spirit and so I chose Art Therapy as my path to becoming a therapist.
Destiny steered me to Southwestern College in Santa Fe, New Mexico for my Master of Arts in Art Therapy and Counseling. The unique environment of the southwest supported my learning of what it means to become conscious of ourselves, to embrace our individuality through self-expression, and to discover the importance of the connection among us all. It is here that I cultivated my passion for healing ourselves and for sharing that knowledge with others.
My introduction into the diverse field of mental health as a clinician began with internships in D.C. and Maryland at a center for torture survivors, a state psychiatric hospital, and a children’s medical hospital. Following graduation in 2007, I grew as a novice therapist at a non-profit agency where I provided individual and group therapy for women who have experienced sexual, emotional, and physical abuse. My clinical skills deepened as I learned assessment tools and how to help people reconcile from traumatic experiences, low self-esteem, co-dependency, anxiety, depression and attachment disorders.
In 2010 I transitioned into part-time private practice where I began specializing in adult ADHD, couples counseling, and general mental health issues. I enhanced my expertise of grief & loss, chronic illness, and care-giving while working as an Art Therapist and Bereavement Director for hospice.
All of the people I have met along the way have enriched my understanding of what it means to be an authentic human being who experiences both the pain and joy of life. I value integrity in my services and stay current with evidenced-based research and techniques by attending regular trainings and peer supervision with other licensed therapists.
Licenses and Certifications
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)
State of Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists (License #LC4349)
Licensed Clinical Professional Art Therapist (License # ACT035)
State of Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists
Registered and Board Certified Art Therapist
American Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB # 09-124)
Education
Southwestern College, MA in Art Therapy and Counseling
University of North Florida, BA in Communication
Associations & Registrations
Maryland Art Therapy Association
American Art Therapy Association
CHADD (Center for Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)