“Keep growing quietly and seriously throughout your whole development; you cannot disturb it more rudely than by looking outward and expecting from outside replies to questions that only your innermost feelings in your most hushed hour can perhaps answer.” – Rainer Maria Rilke
How I became a therapist
In retrospect, being a psychotherapist was the obvious choice for me professionally, it just took me a while to see it.
In college I chose to study English Literature because I loved reading fiction. Reading fiction was something I enjoyed because I felt it offered truth and insight into the human experience that enriched my life. I approach my work with clients with the same interest and attention as if I was sitting down to read a great novel.
The years after college found me attending and then leaving law school after one semester, trying out a handful of different jobs in different industries, and largely feeling like I was struggling to find my place professionally. These experiences softened me and expanded my understanding of myself and the world, which I believe is a strength that I bring to my work as a psychotherapist.
In my late 20’s I became increasingly frustrated that I hadn’t found a career path for myself which led me to seek out a psychotherapist. I found these meetings to be very healing, and as a result of therapy I was able to see my problems in a different way and find more tranquility in my life.
As it turned out, while I was in therapy I found myself thinking that this was something I could enjoy doing professionally. Not wanting to jump in to another graduate program that I may or may not like, I volunteered at a suicide prevention hotline an evening a week and took psychology classes at community college during the nights after my day job. I continued to feel a sense of purpose and satisfaction in helping others and learning more about psychology. It was at this point that I decided to become a therapist.
When I moved states to pursue graduate school I sought out another therapist and found this new relationship to also be very helpful. While the two therapists were different, there was some overlap between their approaches, which helped me understand that no one single approach to therapy (or therapist, for that matter!) owns the truth. I believe this understanding makes me a more effective therapist than someone who relies only on one approach.
More about me
I have an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and a graduate degree from Arizona State University. Additionally, I have completed a two year postgraduate program in Marriage and Family Therapy at the Denver Family Institute.
I grew up in the Southwest and moved to Colorado in 2013. In my free time I enjoy spending time with friends and family, outdoor activities, reading, and listening to music. Some of my life experience before private practice has consisted of being a wilderness trip leader for adolescent boys, sales and marketing, school social work at an elementary school, and working in community mental health centers.
I hope this page has given you a sense of who I am and how I approach my work in helping others. I look forward to connecting with you soon!