I understand how hard change can be.

My professional journey has had more than a few twists and turns in the road. I knew, as a child, that I wanted a life that was full of adventure. Messy, different and fun! I know how it feels to be scared but determined. I know how it feels to plan and plan and plan and then realize that eventually you have to make that leap. I’ve been there, scared but determined, ready for change but struggling to figure out how to do it. That’s how I know that I can help you.

My story

I wasn’t afraid of digging in — literally and metaphorically — because dirt was awesome to me! I was kind of the nerdy girl who loved to watch National Geographic shows that uncovered the wonderful world of archaeology. What were people doing, what were they like, how did they look, were they kings and queens, laborers, farmers, kids, adults? How and why did the die? What was life like back then? What about all those rumors, myths, and theories about life, religion, culture? What was true? What wasn’t? I wanted to be the one to DISCOVER and see first hand what adventures others have lived and how we have CHANGED as we have evolved.

This led me to a degree in Anthropology/Archaeology from The Ohio State University.

I traveled in Central and South America digging in the dirt, talking to fascinating people, learning about new cultures, and having great experiences! But then I hit a turning point. I was well on my way to becoming someone I wanted to be but still had an itch I could not reach. This led me to a side step in my professional life. I decided that I would take some time and travel, go to new places, see some still different cultures, and enjoy a new adventure (while still hoping to dig in the dirt)! I applied to become a Peace Corps member, was accepted, and completely immersed myself in the country of Guatemala and Guatemalan.

While in Guatemala, I was very fortunate to live and work in places where I could dig in the dirt and be in a completely new and different environment then growing up in suburban Ohio. I lived in a remote village where I communicated with a community in both our second languages of Spanish (the village was remote enough that only the men were fluent in Spanish, and the most important class being taught in grade schools was Spanish so that the next generation could fluently communicate with those in the world outside of the village). There was a long history of culture in the village and I was able to dive in head first trying to understand who and how the community identified from there ancestors to present day. My interest in who these people were quickly evolved into who these people are today.

This is where another shift happened in my life.

Those that lived in the village were not interested in their past or their ancestors past (they knew it already) and I often found myself talking with them on front porches about their children living in different parts of the country or overseas. What it took to live in their world and how much change they felt was necessary to move up in the world. Family was the most important aspect of life and how to support family was always the on-going struggle. The struggle was frequently so great that escape was necessary for them and the way they knew to do this was through alcohol. Alcoholism (and some other drugs) were so prevalent in their society that it was the second leading cause of death, second only to other illnesses (primarily heart disease). With the alcoholism came depression, domestic violence, and isolation, among other challenges. I found myself in a world of struggle and found myself trying to encourage motivation and change for those that wanted it and were ready for it.

I came home after two and a half years recognizing EVERYONE is different there are no two people alike, but sometimes we need to ask for help to bring the ‘different’ or uniqueness out of us. This was my new challenge, how can I continue to contribute to others to help them identify the strengths within themselves and to become the people they want to be?

I had the opportunity to become involved in a mental health private practice where I was being trained to work as a neurobiofeedback technician. Understanding the brain and mind, how they work, how what we think impacts our behavior became a fascination for me. What holds us back? What propels us forward? What negative and positive records do we play over and over again in our heads that shape who we are and how we define ourselves? All these questions led me to continue exploring neurobiofeedback and begin to explore the world of the mind through hypnosis.

After studying hypnosis and the impact on change hypnosis could have I felt empowered to begin working with clients to effect change through the mind.

Today I will tell you I am a therapist first and a hypnotherapist second. I realized that I wanted to be able to give my clients more. So, began the pursuit of my Master’s degree in clinical mental health at the University of Dayton, which brought me here.

My life has been a journey of change

Some change is good, some is bad, some is easy and some is hard but I always hopeful that all change has the potential for us to move in new, better, and exciting directions.

Ready to start? Make an appointment with me today by clicking here!