I received my bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS). There I developed a solid base of understanding of the workings of the human mind. Volunteering as a research assistant, including on a trauma study with first responders, gave me a glimpse into how traumatic events effect people. My first hands-on experience treating people was as a biofeedback technician, which uses measurements of physiological responses, such as muscle tension, skin temperature, and heart rate variability, to measure how people's bodies respond to mental exercises.

It is fascinating to see how we can affect physical reactions in our bodies by changing how we use our minds! I returned to UCCS to complete my Master's Degree in Counseling and Human Services in 2017. My main internship was as a counselor at Mt. Carmel, a non-profit which serves veterans and their families. I have always had a passion for supporting America's veterans, since my dad died from suicide, due largely to unresolved trauma resulting from being drafted into the Vietnam War. At Mt. Carmel I continued to learn about the burdens many of our veterans, and their families, carry due to trauma from combat or other service-related experiences, and the resilience they can develop given adequate support. I became trained in EMDR, an evidenced-based treatment for symptoms of trauma, and continue to learn all I can to be an effective trauma-informed counselor.