I am a generalist. By that I mean that my training is broad and I am open to working with people presenting a wide range of issues. This includes things like anxiety, parenting, depression, a  disconnected sense of self, life transitions, separation and divorce, stress, additions, loss and grief, and struggles in relationships.
     In addition to being a generalist, there are several areas for which I have special training and where I find the work particularly rewarding. These include psychological trauma, relationship struggles, stress and anxiety, not achieving one's full potential, and marriage preparation.
     I am a Certified Trauma Specialist. Early in my career I discovered an interest in, and an ability to work with, people who have been traumatized. By focusing my graduate studies and my ongoing professional development courses on various aspects of psychological trauma, I have developed a specialization in this area.
     We can experience psychological trauma in an event or series of events where human life is threatened, where our ability to cope is overwhelmed, and where our beliefs on how life should be are shattered. Some examples of potentially traumatizing events include:
     - vehicle accidents
     - sexual or physical assault
     - child abuse
     - war
     - the death of a loved one
     - bankruptcy or other financial woes
     - complications while giving birth
     - suicide
     - separation or divorce
     - witnessing violence
     Ordinarily, when something big like this happens in our lives, we work it out by sharing the experience with those who support us. For various reasons, this isn't always possible and then the event is stored away in an unprocessed state. We become aware of this when we start experiencing symptoms of psychological trauma: We have nightmares, we snap at those we care about, we are on guard all the time, we feel confused. We use alcohol or drugs to numb out, we withdraw from others, we space out, we become suspicious of everyone.
     But that doesn't mean that we have to continue living this way! Trauma counseling can help.
     If any of this is sounding familiar to you, I invite you to contact me to discuss whether you might benefit from trauma counseling.