Standale Location
O-113 Lake Michigan Dr. NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49534

“That is all I want in life: for this pain to seem purposeful” - Elizabeth Wurtzel 

None of us get a free pass from pain, trouble, or hardship. Though I have experienced countless moments of joy, my story is riddled with seasons of immense pain and struggle. Yet, in my confusion and grief, I am grateful for the wise guides who have listened, empathized, and helped me identify practical steps toward healing. You are not alone and with great care we will discover how to name your pain, engage grief and loss, and cultivate a path toward meaning and purposefulness. Our experiences and emotions are sacred spaces. Sometimes, we simply long for someone to sit in this sacred space and be present with us. To that end, you can trust that our time together is devoted to you and providing space for you to heal. 

When I am not counseling I love spending time with my four children and my granddaughter. I love music, reading, films with compelling storylines, grilling, being outside as much as possible, and sitting around a fire with my family and friends. 

My Approach - You matter. Therefore, I approach counseling primarily with a person-centered, narrative approach. I want to understand who you are, how you see the world, how you think, and what’s important to you. I presume that everyone is unique and no single theory or intervention is one-size fits all. You can expect over time as we meet, that we will discover together the best next steps for your personality and life experience. Your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being are the most important goals. Toward these goals, I consistently draw from Cognitive Behavioral Theory to help understand how our thoughts affect our behavior and Solutions-Focused Therapy to provide practical next steps to practice between sessions. 

What You Can Expect - You can expect unconditional positive regard in a safe environment where you are valued, encouraged, supported, and free from judgment. Your experiences and emotions are sacred ground. There is only one you. Therefore, together, we will identify goals for healing in accordance with your needs and desires. The goal being to understand your personality, your story, and who you’ve been uniquely created to be. It is important to me that our time is a meaningful space for you to be heard, share the difficult and challenging parts of your story, and create a path toward healing in which you feel equipped and empowered.