About Me
I have created Wild Roots from a culmination of my personal and professional experiences, striving to provide the type of support I know to be valuable. Through years of working with different therapists and my own education I discovered the tremendous impacts of years of childhood bullying and the ultimate manifestation of these and other experiences into a person who struggled with depression. I stumbled into somatic therapy through a few very uncomfortable therapy sessions that left me feeling exposed and seen in a way I never had been. It was weird, uncomfortable, and foreign to me and yet I knew I wanted more. I couldn't explain it, but things were shifting. My years as a client of Somatic Experiencing® combined with my training as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) has transformed my understanding of, and approach to, clinical symptoms. It allowed me to replace shame with self-compassion and to understand that my symptoms of depression were a natural response, a protective way my body learned to respond to internal overwhelm and feeling unsafe. It is from this place of self-compassion and knowledge that I approach clinical symptoms; understanding that we can't always choose how we respond to adverse life events and we do the best we can, with our body leading the way and doing all it can to keep us safe. By tending to the body, gently bringing attention and intention to what it is telling us, we shift the cognitive story without even realizing it, and things start to change. These shifts in my own life have allowed me to hold the capacity and space for others to shift, even when it might feel hopeless. Healing happens in relationships, and I believe the therapeutic relationship can be a great starting point and catalyst for further healing in all our relationships.
My experience in this field includes individual, group and family therapy with adolescents, young adults, and families. The settings in which I've practiced include community mental health, wilderness therapy, mental health first responder, crisis response, and private practice. I work well with folks experiencing depression, anxiety, PTSD and those who have a history of complex and developmental trauma. I enjoy working with people new to therapy as well as therapists seeking their own therapeutic support. I believe strongly in including the physiology in our work together, as that is so often where our symptoms are rooted. My approach is gentle and compassionate, and I do not hesitate to nudge and challenge as appropriate for our work together. I ask questions that will challenge you and align with your therapeutic goals.
In my time out of the therapy room I enjoy a range of seasonal and year-round outdoor activities afforded by the wilderness in Colorado. Running or hiking is my preferred daily exercise. I make an effort to spend as much time outside as possible and enjoy solitude in the wilderness. I enjoy spending days on the river with my partner, who is a professional whitewater raft guide. I immensely enjoy cooking and baking, with an affinity for homemade pizza and cinnamon rolls. I am a lifelong learner and very content with a good book (usually nonfiction) and a cup of coffee.