I obtained a Master's degree in Pastoral Counseling from Loyola University, where I learned the importance of spirituality, how we view a higher power, some may call "God" and how that impacts our mental health, various traumas, and ability to heal.

 

While I was getting my Masters I earned a Holistic Health certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and worked as a Health Coach. It was during that time that I focused in on issues with binge eating and body image, learning the mind/body/emotions connection that is so important to how those types of issues often play out with women and how I had seen them play out in my own struggles with food. Since then I have also dug into the ways cultural oppression play out in disordered eating and the patriarchal views that create body image issues in so many women. 

 

I interned in addiction treatment centers as well as high schools, and again saw the link between so many patterns of disordered eating and addiction and it continue to be a passion of mine to support women to treat their bodies with love and kindness no matter what. 

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Yoga has been a long-time ally as I've nurtured my relationship with my body, and for this reason I dove in and got certified as a yoga teacher from Baltimore Yoga Village in 2014. I actually completed the 9 month program during my first pregnancy and brought my 1 week old son to the graduation ceremony!

 

As well as becoming a step-mother, and soon after a mother, I gained experience in community mental health, working both in-home and in clinics, helping people of all ages and levels of trauma. Stepping into a mothering role has been and continues to be a huge personal growth experience for me, bringing up childhood issues and emotions I never knew I had!

 

This has led to my continued passion in supporting women and the importance of women's empowerment in all their roles. I obtained a certification as a Step-family Coach after hiring my own coach to help me with my Step-mom challenges. 

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Prior to going back to school for my Master's degree, I became passionate about personal growth and truth-seeking for the sake of authenticity starting at a 10-day silent meditation retreat, to which I became very dedicated for several years. I attribute this time and intensive practice and study to the value and supportiveness I find in Buddhism, for me rooted in the Vipassana meditation teachings of S.N. Goenka.

 

I continue to practice meditation (though not nearly as time intensely as I did back then!), teach it to those who are open to it, and am referring often to mindfulness concepts that stem from the understanding and continued study I have done in this tradition. 

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I have continued to study various modalities and attended all sorts of personal growth experiences for the sake of practicing and coming as close as I can to authenticity as well as unconditional self-love, which I truly believe is the answer to so many mental health ailments. A lot of what I have discovered and found the most valuable has been in gaining the ability to listen to my body over my head for the answers I need, and I love supporting people to find ways of doing this for themselves. 

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I currently live in Baltimore County with my 3 year old bio daughter, my 8 year old bio-son, my 13 year old step-son, and my partner.   I work from home, seeing clients via telehealth from my basement office as well as meeting folks on trails for walk-and talk sessions and leading mindfulness & nature hikes for both therapists and non-therapists.

 

It is also at home where I grow my garden in the summer, and go hiking as often as possible. I homeschool my 8 year old and am involved with his homeschool Outdoor program "Elderberry Outdoor School". 

 

 I love supporting people in a gentle, process-oriented therapeutic way as well as in a compassionately direct action-oriented approach. I truly believe that all of my life challenges have informed my passions and continue to help me become more compassionate, committed to human being resilience and empowerment. 

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I believe in possibilities and authenticity and that sometimes you just need to dance and sing to feel better! 

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