I earned my bachelor’s degree in integrative physiology with a double minor in studio art and art history from the University of Colorado, Boulder. I later went on to complete my master of arts in clinical mental health counseling with an emphasis in expressive arts therapy at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. I received the foundation of my clinical training at McLean Hospital in Belmont, MA. I am also a certified Yin yoga instructor and mindful grieving facilitator.

At McLean, I worked as a clinical intern where I facilitated group and individual therapy primarily on the trauma and dissociative disorders unit and secondarily on the generalized anxiety and depression short term unit. There, I developed trauma-informed group curricula implementing expressive arts therapy, mindfulness as well as skills-based interventions, primarily dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). I additionally participated in McLean’s Spiritual Psychotherapy for Inpatient, Residential and Intensive Treatment (SPIRIT) study where I supported patient exploration of the impact of spirituality on mental health and its prospective role in treatment and recovery.

I wrote and defended my capstone thesis based on my experience developing and facilitating a weekly body-oriented grounding skills group at McLean which drew from somatic modalities including bioenergetic analysis (BA), polyvagal theory (PVT), somatic experiencing (SE) and dance/movement therapy (DMT). The trauma-informed presentation of the content relied heavily upon principles of secure attachment and compassion which other modalities such as mentalization-based treatment (MBT) center.

Post-graduation, I split my 2,000 clinical hour fellowship between addiction treatment at the Redpoint Center in Longmont, CO and eating disorder treatment at La Luna Center in Boulder, CO. I worked as a primary therapist at the Redpoint Center supporting adults in recovery from substance use at partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP) and outpatient (OP) levels of care. I am continuing my work as a primary therapist at La Luna Center where I support clients in recovery from eating disorders at PHP and IOP levels of care.