Starting in middle school, I had a hard time fitting in and making friends. My family life was very challenging, undergoing significant changes at that time. We moved frequently, which meant changing schools and losing much of the structure I had in my younger years. Consequently, I always felt like an outsider, searching for solid ground, and never seemed to be able to find my 'people'. By the end of high school, I found solace and community in drinking and smoking my concerns away. Although I maintained good grades and showed up for work and school and looked like I had it all together, quietly I was struggling.
Over the following years, I experimented with various substances, barely survived a devastating car crash that nearly claimed my life and that of the driver, and failed out of the first college I attended. Despite this, I remained set in my ways and resistant to make any serious changes for many years. I continued to try to fit in and feel 'normal' by numbing myself and engaging in unhealthy patterns. It wasn't until I spent a summer volunteering that I finally came to my senses and sought support. It's incredible what can happen when you ask for help at the right time! Several incredible mentors entered my life, challenging me and guiding me to ask the necessary questions to make positive changes I had struggled with for years.
Following college, I worked as an outdoor educator with elementary children before transitioning to guiding trips for adolescents. I've worked as a guide for adventure camps, wilderness therapy, and rites of passage groups. I transitioned to working as a mentor in residential programs eventually, and developed an aftercare program for young adults. Most recently, I have worked in admissions for an adventure program and a therapeutic out patient program, assisting families and individuals find the next step in the path to recovery.
Over the course of 20 years, I've worked with parents and their children to nurture healthier relationships and achieve independence and accountability. As a parent of a teenager and young adult, coupled with my experience working with individuals of various age groups, I've witnessed life's highs and lows and battled my own demons. I'm continually striving to be a better parent and improve my relationships. I believe that life is a continual learning process, and we're all capable of so more than we realize! It's crucial for us all to "clean our own mirror" and lead by example. I regularly engage with my network of mentors, spend time with those I love, and dedicate time to cultivating my passions--the same work I encourage in all my clients.