About Me

I have been a licensed counselor since 2000 and in private practice in Bend since 2006.  

My early training was in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, a model designed by Daniel Hughes, PhD to work with families with children who had severe attachment difficulties. The population I primarily served was children who required residential care, and I received intensive guidance, supervision, and support from Dr. Hughes to use his model in this setting for three years....which still serves to be the foundation of my work.  It's experiential, attachment-focused, and based upon providing a new experience of self in relationship.

Throughout the years, my practice has grown to include more mindfulness, somatic awareness, and EMDR.  I continue to see relationship and connection as basic human drives and I work with the therapists I support to guide clients to uncover and address the fears, barriers, or guards they have put up in the past to survive relationship and re-learn how to feel safe and thrive in connection.  

After experiencing profound grief from the sudden death of my partner in early 2024, my practice evolved to become more focused on Movement/Dance in a group format and I began training in facilitating with Ketamine and Psilocybin.  Personally, these have been impactful for my healing and it is my hope to support others in the same way.  I also continue to provide individual and couples work online and in person.

Professional History of note includes:

2000-2003  

-- Worked as a Program Therapist at Villa Santa Maria, an attachment based residential program working closely with Daniel Hughes, PhD, who supervised my work.

-- Presented at the ATTACh conference, along with Scott Blackwell, PhD about providing attachment based care in a residential setting.

2003-2005 

-- Clinical Director of Namaste's Residential Treatment Program, also attachment based.  Oversaw program changes to create a more therapeutic, and developmentally appropriate model.

2005-2006

-- Clinical Director at Trillium Family Services Residential Treatment Program in Bend, Oregon.

(This program was needed in the area and did some nice work, but wasn't in alignment with my treatment philosophy)

2006 - present

Therapist, consultant, trainer, and registered clinical supervisor at The Attachment Center of Central Oregon, LLC

2007 - 2015 

Trainer for Child Welfare Partnership, worked with supporting therapists foster parents, and social workers throughout the State of Oregon in delivering attachment focused and trauma informed care

2008 - 2012 

Facilitating an Adoptive Family Support Group for Central Oregon families

Presenter, 2011 GOBHI Spring Conference

Keynote and presenter at 2014 Shoulder to Shoulder Conference

2010 - 2017 

Monthly consultation/supervision group for KIDS Center therapists

2016 - 2018 

Monthly consultation/supervision group for Deschutes County Mental Health

2019 - present 

Monthly consultation/supervision groups for Bend La Pine School District Counselors

Additional trainings and support also provided for:

-- Oregon Post Adoptive Resource Center

-- New Leaf Academy

-- Deschutes County Multidisciplinary Team

-- Central Oregon Association of Psychologists

-- The Clinician's Network of Central Oregon

-- Wheeler County DHS

-- Deschutes County's CASA program

-- Maple Star Oregon

-- Oregon State University's Masters of Counseling Program.