As a survivor of long-term Narcissistic Abuse, my goal is to walk alongside other trauma and domestic abuse victims & survivors. I have had a long and fulfilling career in helping others therapeutically as an Occupational Therapist and Professional Counselor, and now have a specialty as a Certified Somatic Trauma Informed Coach. I seek to move victims to survivors and, moreover, to thrivers so that each client embraces healing and individuality in a way that a joy filled life is achieved.

Over the course of my abusive marriage, I learned to make myself smaller, to doubt my own perceptions, and to live in a constant state of hypervigilance--always waiting for the next shift in mood. As the coercive control, gaslighting, manipulation increased, I experienced mental/emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, spiritual abuse, and financial abuse. Towards the end of our marriage, I was locking myself and my dog in my bedroom and sleeping with a loaded gun under my pillow--not to use it nefariously, but because I had come to realize clearly and completely that my life was in danger...

At this point, I had already become a part of Caroline Strawson's organization as a client, had begun healing deep seated codependency, and was taking my power back. One chilly December morning, I awakened, said "This is the Day", I went to the courthouse before the Magistrate, and obtained a Domestic Violence Protection Order. The Sheriff escorted him away that very afternoon and I would begin my healing journey.

What I discovered--and what completely changed the way I understand healing--is this: trauma does not live in the mind alone. It lives in the body and your nervous system. You can understand what happened to you intellectually and still feel completely undone and helpless. That is not weakness, that is biology. This is why my work is nervous system led. I draw upon approaches including somatic healing, nervous system regulation, Internal Family Systems parts work, and applied neuroscience. These approaches work by reconnecting your mind and body in a way that is gentle and honest. I show up as a real human who has walked through life-threatening fire. I found my way back to myself and believe, with everything I have in me, that you can too.