I earned my Master's Degree in Counseling from the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs in 1998. I earned my undergraduate degree in Communication from the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs in 1985.
I've been in private practice since 1998.
Trainings attended, staffed and facilitated:
EMDR Level I and II
DBT
Hypnotherapy
Fundamentals of Self Hypnosis
Lifespring
Landmark Trainings
Inner Child Journeys
Inner Teen Journeys
Women's Journeys
Counseling Couples
Counseling Survivors of Sexual Abuse
Bruce Fisher's "Rebuilding" workshops
Artist's Way
Play Therapy
Developmental Process Work
Conflict Resolution Training
Practitioner Training l & II Ernest Holmes Institute
Transcendental Meditation and Advanced Technique
Kundalini Yoga
Trainers and Speakers include:
Wayne Dyer
John Bradshaw
Claudia Black
Carolyn Myss
Julia Cameron
Maryanne Williamson
Deprok Chopra
Barbara DeAngelis
Baba Ram Das
Louise Hay
Francine Shapiro
Family of Origin background:
A child of the 50's I experienced similar trauma of other children of this era. My father was focused on his career and hence was emotionally absent. My mother was clinically depressed. When my father left my mother, he basically left his children as well.
My mother had an emotional meltdown as a result of the separation. She was 30 years old and suddenly a single parent of six children ranging in age from newborn to 11 years old.
She became physically, mentally and emotionally abusive as well as negligent to her children. Back then (early 1960's) teachers were not trained to intervene, neither were churches or neighbors. We kids were on our own.
By the time I turned 16 my only objective in life was to survive. As a result, my sister and I ran away. We were placed in a boarding school where we felt safe for the first time in many years.
Our father supported our education but did seem to take an interest in our lives. I do not remember him ever sitting down with us to just ask us how we were doing.
As a result of a rageholic mother and emotionally absent father I emerged from my childhood years with little self-esteem. Moreover, I had little sense or construction of Self. As a result, for the next several years, I fell into disasterous relationships with men that left me bitter and broken.
Finally, in my early thirties I started to do the work required to find myself back to wholeness.
I attended workshops that concentrated on intensive psycho-emotional transformation. I fostered my spiritual life. I went into regular therapy. I read wonderful self-help and self-improvement books. I joined or formed groups of other childhood abuse survivors and thrivers.
By the time I was in my early forties I started to feel a sense of wholeness again. I had gotten myself back. I had a sense of well being and peace.
It was at this time that I left corporate America to return to college to become a counsellor. I knew I would be able to be empathetic since I once was so wounded and had found ways to heal many of those childhood wounds.
I tried very hard to heal my relationship with my mother and succeeded. She died in 2002 and I am grateful that we were able to have 18 years of friendship before her death.
My relationship with my Dad is greatly improved. The greatest change has been my ability to accept him just as he is and to not expect him to be anyone other than who he is. He is now semi-retired and seems to take much more of an interest in our lives. It's nice to know that it's never too late to have a happy relationship with one's parents.
Currently I am mother to 2 grown sons, grandmother to 3 grandkids and human to 2 cats and 1 dog.
I live in lovely lovely Colorado on land that borders Garden of the Gods.
I am grateful to every step of my entire journey. I am grateful to be a counselor.
Thank you for taking the time to read alittle about my own background...
