My grandmother died when I was only 3 days old.  As a young girl, my Dad would tell me stories about her and her love for people.  She would get lost in psychology books and loved helping others solve their problems.  He always wished I could have met her, and I did too.

 

As a high school student, my friends would share about their family problems and ask me for advice.  I was a good listener, and I had my fair share of family issues as well so we spent many hours supporting each other and solving each other’s problems.  When I accepted Christ at a snowy mountain retreat in 9th grade, my life changed forever and I knew I’d found the answers to so many of life’s struggles.

 

I went on to college and earned a Bachelor’s degree in psychology, then on to a Christian graduate program.  Becoming a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist seemed like a natural fit for me, and I particularly enjoy integrating together faith and psychology.  God’s truth sets us free, and I love helping people understand that so many of life’s difficulties fade away when they choose to live in alignment with God’s Word.

 

Along the road to serving God in my private practice, I met my best friend and we married.  You might say my own marriage, which began over 30 years ago, has been the biggest source of learning.  It has been full of the usual ups and downs, adjustments and compromises that are necessary to make marriage work.  I have learned that his needs are not my needs, and that nurturing a heart of gratitude toward one another makes all the difference in the world.  Our conflicts can bring us closer together if we argue “well” and always remember we are fighting for something better.  I have learned that marriage is God’s classroom, in which I am being shaped, refined, and perfected in preparation for that special day in which I’ll be in God’s presence forever.

 

One thing I know for certain is that God has a plan for my life.  He has chosen me as a messenger to those who are struggling in their marriages.  My specialty is helping couples heal from broken dreams and dashed hopes.  Underneath every complaint is a deep personal longing, and therapy helps couples deepen their understanding of each other, strengthen their emotional connection, and reduce the day-to-day friction.  I help people identify what is getting in the way of trusting each other, committing 100% to a lifetime of love, and growing a more intimate marriage.

 

If you’d like to learn more about counseling with me, please visit my website or give me a call.