Specialties

Loss and Grief experienced due to bereavement:

When you say that your heart is breaking, I understand that you are speaking of both the emotional AND the actual physical pain associated with a broken heart. Sometimes it may feel like you are both numb and in excruciating pain at the same time. It can feel that the waves of grief are pulling you deeper and deeper down, and that every day (maybe every second) can be a struggle. You can’t imagine how you will make it through…but here you are, and you aren’t alone. I can help.

Every person’s journey is different and there is no timeframe in which one must heal. For me, healing isn’t “moving on”, rather it is “moving forward”. Healing isn’t forgetting the loved one, it is giving yourself permission to live life again…chances are, that’s what your loved one would want for you.

Having a love for animals, I recognize that they can be as much of our family as people are…maybe even more so at times. I honor and respect the feelings that surround pet loss in a way that many do not. I recognize that the loss of a pet can also represent so much more because the pet may have been a connection between you and a person that you previously lost. The feelings can be quite complex and I’m able to assist you in working through all of those emotions.

I have a passion for helping those who are grieving because I’ve lost family members to natural causes and accidents. I’ve lost friends to medical conditions and drug overdoses. And I’ve lost a partner to depression, anxiety, and substance abuse…which ultimately led to his death by suicide. In addition, I have lost a number of pets as well. They were my everything at various stages in my life. They were my family…and I loved them more than I like most people. As a therapist experienced with bereavement, I often work with people who experience various forms of grief, to include: Supported Grief, Disenfranchised Grief, and Traumatic Grief.

Supported Grief:

It is just that…grief in which the person who has experienced a loss also receives support. It is a loss that is generally “accepted” by society and people will come together and support the griever. These types of losses are typically death from natural causes, terminal illnesses, accidents, and murders.

Disenfranchised Grief:

This is one that society tends not to recognize as valid or it makes people uncomfortable discussing. There is often a stigma associated with this type of loss and the griever often doesn’t experience the same amount of support as they would if the death fell under one of the categories listed above. This type of loss is often associated with loss to suicide, alcohol/drug overdose, “as part of the job” (first responders, medical staff, military, etc.), and the loss of a pet. This also happens in the LGBTQIA+ community when they are not recognized as being “significant” by the person’s family or if the family was not accepting of the relationship or culture.

Traumatic Grief:

This type of grief is not only one that involves death, but also has an additional trauma component. This type of grief is often sudden, violent, or unexpected. It adds another layer to the grief. There is not only the grief that needs to be processed, but a specific trauma as well. Sometimes the trauma itself can get a person “stuck” in the grief process. This is one of the areas where Accelerated Resolution Therapy (see FAQ regarding Accelerated Resolution Therapy for more information) can be very beneficial in becoming “unstuck” and allow you to progress through the grief process.

First Responders (Police, Fire, Medic, Dispatch, Probation/Parole-State and Federal), Military Personnel (Active and Retired), Medical Professionals (Doctors, Nurses, Veterinarians, Veterinarian Technicians)

Everytime you put on your uniform, lab coat, or a pair of scrubs, you will see and do things that most people will never experience in their lifetime. You have entered into situations that others would run from or you have waited in an emergency setting for a trauma patient (two or four legged) to be rushed in for assistance. You have saved lives and have seen lives lost. You help people, your community, your country…and it feels good.

Then there are those days when you have had enough. You have become jaded, lost your passion, or find it difficult to even care anymore. Your “give a damn” is broken and you are just going through the motions. Or maybe you find yourself tired from caring too much. Being a hero is tough work. If you can relate, then you may be experiencing compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and/or burnout.

You are so used to being the “hero”…but guess what…you are ALSO a human. A strong, resilient, brave human, but a human nonetheless. I want someone mentally healthy to have my six, protect my country, perform my surgery, or help my “fur-baby”. I can help you be the best version of yourself. I often use Accelerated Resolution Therapy which can help you get back on track quickly, as it is a rapid way to process out whatever is troubling you without a bunch of “talking it out”. Most people have a sustained reduction in symptoms in as few as 1-4 ART sessions.

I have both personal and professional experience with Law Enforcement, the Military, and Medical communities. I understand the culture and, oftentimes, chaos that goes along with the day to day duties of the job. My family is based both in medicine and the military; therefore, I grew up within each culture. I spent nearly 16 years working in the Juvenile Justice system and alongside numerous other law enforcement agencies. I understand the dark sense of humor, the coping strategies used to get through a shift, and the necessity to detach emotionally at times.

When compared to other professions and the general public, First Responders/Military/Medical Professionals are more resistant to seeking services. Due to this resistance, these professions have a higher rate of:

• Suicide
• Addiction
• Domestic Violence/Relationship Issues
• Vicarious Trauma
• Compassion Fatigue
• Burnout

I understand the stigma that goes with asking for help when we recognize that something “just isn’t right.” I WANT TO REMOVE THAT STIGMA! When people are both physically and mentally fit, they are more productive, more reliable, and have a better quality of life.

Addiction:

Addiction isn’t about whether or not you are a morally sound individual. It isn’t about whether or not you love your family. It isn’t even really about alcohol or drugs. Addiction is about you. It is about the guilt, shame, fear, pain, and trauma from which you desire so badly to escape. It’s about the urges and cravings that you don’t know how else to handle. But what if I told you that I can help you to become free from the chains of addiction and find the happiness that you deserve by standing next to you as you face the things that you fear the most? Addiction is real…but so is sobriety. I have personally and professionally witnessed what both addiction and sobriety can do to a person. I have lost loved ones to the deadly disease and celebrated the best moments with others in sobriety. If you wonder if you have a problem with alcohol or drugs and want to try controlled drinking/using first, we can start there because maybe that works for you. I’m willing to bet that you have already tried some form of it, but we can try that together and see what happens. Or if you are fully aware of your addiction and are sick and tired of being sick and tired, please take this opportunity to find the peace that you deserve. There may be times when a referral to a more intensive program is necessary to begin with, but I will be fully transparent with you and let you know that in the beginning.

Other topics often addressed are: burnout, anxiety, panic attacks, perfectionism, and parenting assistance. In addition, I enjoy working with people who have a chronic medical illness and/or those who support or care for them. I work closely with the LGBTQIA+ community.