About Me:
With over 20 years of experience as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, I’ve had the privilege of working with children, teens, and families across a variety of settings. Over the years, I’ve served as an in-home family therapist, deputy juvenile officer, mental health crisis hotline counselor, and school social worker with the Special School District.
In my current role as a school social worker, I provide consultation on social-emotional and behavioral concerns, offer individual and group counseling, and collaborate as part of students’ IEP teams. I’m also a certified instructor through the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) and train educational staff in nonviolent crisis intervention and de-escalation strategies.
I earned my Master of Social Work from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, where I focused on Children, Youth, and Families and Mental Health. I have been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 2001 and provide clinical supervision for social workers pursuing licensure. I am also a Registered Play Therapist (RPT), Certified in Synergetic Play Therapy, and a Certified Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) practitioner—an evidence-based approach proven effective for PTSD, anxiety, depression, and stress-related concerns.
My Approach:
I’ve always been drawn to helping others and feel especially passionate about supporting children, teens, parents, and women. My work centers around helping children and youth build emotional awareness, resilience, and self-confidence through creative and play-based methods. I also find deep fulfillment in empowering women to rediscover their strengths, establish balance, and approach life’s challenges with greater clarity and confidence.
My practice is rooted in a strengths-based, client-centered philosophy, and I draw from a range of therapeutic modalities to meet each person where they are. Using an integrative and individualized approach, I tailor each session—whether through play therapy, mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral, or experiential methods—to fit the unique needs and goals of my clients.
At Helping Hand Counseling, I strive to provide a warm, genuine, and supportive space where clients feel safe to explore, grow, and heal. My goal is to help individuals and families strengthen their relationships, deepen self-understanding, and create meaningful, lasting change.
