My Path

Prior to entering the counseling field, I spent a decade as a sworn law enforcement officer in Alaska, serving with various agencies including the Alaska State Troopers. My career spanned diverse roles such as patrol, field training, K9 handling, and instruction. I also served as an Aircraft Rescue Firefighter and Emergency Trauma Technician, working in environments where composure, rapid decision-making, and crisis management were standard daily requirements.

Later, I transitioned to overseas government contract work in Iraq as an explosive detection K9 handler. Throughout these years, I inhabited professions defined by high stakes, deep uncertainty, and the constant exposure to trauma—environments where the expectation was always to perform, regardless of the heavy experiences one accumulated.

This history provides me with a firsthand understanding of first-responder and high-stress professional cultures. I know the unique camaraderie, the dark humor, the loyalty, and the specialized pride found in these lines of work. I also know the challenging underside: the toll of chronic suffering, the necessity of compartmentalization, the strain on family life, and the heavy toll of simply "powering through." Often, the most significant distress didn't come from the field itself, but from organizational dysfunction and the weight of leadership decisions.
Those internal pressures leave a lasting impact.

I did not leave those chapters of my life unchanged.

Like many in high-intensity roles, I became an expert at functioning while suppressing things I hadn't yet learned to process. My path toward personal recovery involved immersive psychotherapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and dedicated mindfulness practices. I didn't just study these methods; I lived them as someone seeking a way forward after a career that had become synonymous with my entire identity.

Through intensive personal work and reflection, I found a way to stop battling my own history. This process wasn't about finding a quick fix, but about learning to let go of long-held burdens and discovering who I was outside of the tactical and professional roles that previously defined me. This journey allowed me to clarify my values and decide what I wanted the next phase of my life to represent. I realized that my most important goal was something profoundly human: to be present and compassionate.

That realization led me directly to the field of mental health.
I returned to academia, studied psychology, and earned my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Today, I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Idaho. My clinical background includes working with individuals facing trauma, anxiety, substance use, and major life transitions. I help people navigate the difficult terrain of identity, purpose, and emotional regulation.

I now work with teens and adults from all walks of life. My background gives me a specific shorthand with law enforcement, firefighters, EMS, veterans, and healthcare providers. However, the core questions we explore are universal: Who am I when my professional identity changes? How do I integrate my past experiences? What actually gives my life meaning? And how do I live in alignment with that?
My practice is anchored in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). I valued ACT personally before adopting it professionally. I resonate with its philosophy that a meaningful life isn't dependent on removing every painful thought or memory. Instead, we can learn to make room for what is difficult, end the struggle with what we cannot change, and move toward what truly matters.

I also incorporate elements of Motivational Interviewing, trauma-informed care, and existential and Jungian perspectives. I believe no single theory can capture the complexity of a human being. Therapy must be a flexible, responsive collaboration tailored to the individual, not a rigid application of a model. My personal history has shaped me into a therapist who understands the weight of service and the complexity of transition. I focus on helping clients explore their intentions and insights, looking at what their experiences mean in the broader context of their lives. We look at how to live differently and more authentically, focusing on the steps you want to take next.

While my own path shaped my perspective, I never assume your experience will look like mine. Every individual has a distinct route to healing, and my role is to support you in finding yours. My history is simply the foundation for the empathy and presence I bring to our sessions.

Ultimately, I believe the therapeutic relationship is the catalyst for change. I show up as an authentic, relatable human rather than a distant clinician. My approach is warm, conversational, and direct. In our work, there is space for gravity and humor, for deep uncertainty and honest conversation. I won't dictate how you should live, but I will help you see yourself clearly and offer the challenges you need to grow.

Sit With Souls was born from the belief that we don't need to be perfect to lead a significant life. We can learn to sit with our pain, release what no longer serves us, and intentionally build a life founded on our deepest values.