About me
I love this work! I believe in the therapeutic process and in the therapeutic relationship. It is a gift for me to be able to sit across from clients and witness their experiences.
I am often asked about how I became interested in sex therapy. In some ways, it feels like I have always been on this path. I really started thinking about a career in sex education or sex therapy in my late twenties. It was during that time that I developed an understanding of my own personal sexuality. I also started working for a company that did in-home parties for women. I went to women’s homes and explained how different potions, lotions and adult toys worked and then answered questions and sold products to the women individually. My clients often told me that I have a knack for combining humor and sexual knowledge in a way that makes people comfortable. This experience allowed me to talk with people about sexual and relationship concerns. I talked with women who have difficulty achieving orgasm, couples with imbalanced desire (or mismatched libidos) and women who didn’t know how to tell their partners what they wanted sexually. I treasured these conversations and truly became excited about helping people improve their relationships and their sexual lives.
I know that thinking about going to counseling can be scary, and more than that, the idea of talking to someone about sex or your personal relationship can be terrifying. I create a safe and welcoming environment for clients. I am nonjudgmental, open-minded and welcome all people into counseling
Education
M.S. – Couples, Marriage and Family Counseling – Portland State University
B.A. – Theatre Performance – Western Michigan University
Affiliations
Member of the American Counseling Association
Member of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists
I volunteered as a counselor at the YWCA Counseling Center (where I had a year internship), a site that was active in the GLBT Community until they closed their doors in 2010.
I have also volunteered at SMYRC – Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center