My life has offered many unique challenges, but all are something that has made me the person I am today. I was born into a family of alcoholics, and as anyone who has ever dealt with addiction knows, there is always a toll that such a disease takes. My sister lived with bipolar disorder her whole life. Living and loving someone who is bipolar was something I had to learn, but has made my heart open to truly understanding these types of disorders and has given me the firsthand experience of loving someone struggling with it. I have experienced painful heartbreak, and know what it’s like to feel so low that it hurts to get out of bed. I was a participant in the ending of a long-term relationship, which caused me such pain that I found myself succumbing to the inevitable depression that these types of experiences often bring. Through self-reflection and time, I was able to eventually heal that wound and allow my heart to open up to exploring new relationships.

Another subject I was unfortunate enough to have to encounter is something every human being ultimately faces at one point in their life. This subject is grief. The unexpected and untimely death of my sister was such a devastating moment for me, that only then did I realize the true meaning of loss. Death feels so final, and the emotions are hard to explain, but I was able to rely on my own therapist for support, just as you can rely on me.

I feel that I have lived my life fully, and had to help myself to learn how to surf the waves of the metaphorical ocean of life. Life is full of obstacles that need to be overcome, and never once did I allow them to hold me back in truly living mine. I simply had to stop, take a breath, and realize I had the strength within me to seek help.

I am a marriage and family therapist who can relate to your problems, and may have experienced what you are facing right now. This is one of the pivotal factors in why I strongly believe that my experience working with you can be very profound.