Grief counselors and therapists in Columbia, MO

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor. I earned a bachelor’s degree in education in 2003 and a master’s degree in counseling in 2005, both from Missouri State University.

For the past 20 years, I have had the opportunity to work with students and parents, in high school, middle school and elementary settings, as an educator and Professional School Counselor. Over the years, I have also worked with many struggling youth during my role as a Missouri Options Liaison, as well as a Community Service Liaison, providing outreach in the community. More recently, I received court mediator training, which provided new insight into conflict resolution procedures. Prior to counseling, I was an elementary teacher, working with students to help them achieve academic goals, while also facilitating emotional growth, and social awareness as well.

For over 20 years I have worked with students of all ages, as well as many parents and families. I specialize in helping one navigate the neurodivergent brain, anxiety and depression in adolescent youth, family counseling, couple’s counseling, emotional and social struggles, as well as adults working through childhood trauma.

If you've spent much of your life feeling misunderstood, overwhelmed, different, or exhausted from trying to fit into expectations that don't feel right for you, therapy can offer a space to better understand yourself and build a life that works for who you truly are. Many of my clients come to therapy feeling stuck in cycles of anxiety, OCD, trauma responses, burnout, self-doubt, or emotional overwhelm. Others are navigating ADHD, identity exploration, chronic illness, LGBTQIA+ experiences, relationship challenges, or life transitions and are looking for a place where they can show up authentically without judgment.

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, I work with adolescents and adults from diverse backgrounds, with a special focus on neurodivergent individuals, LGBTQIA+ clients, and those navigating trauma, chronic health concerns, and identity-related challenges. My goal is to help you better understand your experiences, build on your strengths, develop effective coping tools, and create a life that feels more aligned with your values, needs, and sense of self.

I have over 15 years of experience as a therapist after receiving a Master's Degree at the University of Missouri. In 2011, I went through extensive training to become EMDR certified. I have training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as well as addiction counseling. In March of 2025 I became certified in grief counseling.

I am passionate about guiding my clients toward their goals with warmth and non-judgement. I use a variety of therapeutic approaches tailored to each individual and strive to strike a balance between helping someone understand the "why" and the "how" throughout therapy. Asking why did I come to be here; what have I been doing that isn't working anymore and how can I go about change? Pain, whether relational or within work-life can be an invitation to make the changes necessary to grow. I believe that growth toward a successful and healthy future is possible with deeper understanding of one's past and taking steps toward change.

I have interests and experience in serving adult clients who have experienced a trauma in the past, relational loss, anxiety/depression, abuse, career challenges and addiction. My training in EMDR and Internal Family Systems have helped me as I come alongside those who have experienced various types of trauma. I have been trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy which offers practical tools for change.

If you are looking for a warm therapist who will gently challenge you to take a look at your situation through fresh eyes, I can help. Everyone experiences pain in life. Sometimes all we need is for someone to walk alongside us for a season.

As a board certified psychotherapist, I believe prioritizing mental health is key to happiness and stability in life. I've been practicing for 15 years, and my main focus is to help alleviate your pain, whether it be from depression, anxiety, trauma, or dissociation. I've excelled myself in and places great value on serving clients from diverse racial, gender, and sexual backgrounds. I am Deaf and fluent in American Sign Language.

Life has a way of bringing us to crossroads. You may be feeling stuck in anxiety, depression, unhealthy relationship patterns, addictions, grief, or simply sensing that the life you're living no longer fits who you're becoming. Perhaps you've spent years taking care of everyone else and now find yourself wondering, "What about me?" I specialize in working with adults navigating life's transitions, especially midlife and beyond. I often describe this season as "middle-escence". Like adolescence, it can bring enormous change-changing relationships, aging parents, launching adult children, career shifts, retirement, health concerns, questions about identity, purpose, and meaning. While these transitions can feel unsettling, they also offer an opportunity for profound growth.