20 years ago I read my first book about family systems counseling and it lit me up. Today, continuing education programs, reading, supervision and peer consultation groups continue to light me up, and most of all so does the living work with the people who see me in my counseling practice. I am a life learner and this includes seeking out counseling for myself at various times in my life. 

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My formal education includes a masters degree in psychology from the Counseling Specialization program at Saybrook University as well as a bachelor of arts's degree from The Evergreen State College, where I studied psychology, social psychology, democratic education, systems thinking, gender studies, and intersectional social and racial justice work.

I began working in a private practice setting during my master's level clinical internship at the Rainbow Health Center in Olympia, WA, under the supervision of Dr. Matt Goldenberg. Before that, I worked in community mental health and provided in-school counseling for public schools in Lakewood, Washington. I hold a current license to practice mental health counseling in Washington State. 

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A note on my interest in recovery from encounters with charismatic con-artists, conspiracy theory subcultures, and groups with cult-like features:

I myself am a former member of a controversial charismatic group many consider a destructive undue-influence cult. In the early 2000s I was also involved in a new-age global-conspiracy-believing subculture with similar beliefs to some of today's "Q-anon" adjacent subcultures. I know from personal experience that there is a great need for compassionate, non-judgmental, and well-informed mental health practitioners who understand complexities of recovery from a totalistic worldview and the mechanics of coercive persuasion.

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In 2005, as a part of my own recovery, I decided to begin to speak publicly about my undue influence experiences. Then, starting in 2007 I worked as a thought-reform consultant in collaboration with an experienced therapist on six different multi-day interventions; in these interventions our goal was to share information about undue influence with people who had been recruited into destructive groups and relationships so that they could make more informed choices about whether or not they wanted to be involved. I have continued to study and share information and offer community presentations to increase understanding about undue influence in groups and relationships. After completing grad school for counseling psychology, in 2018, 2019, and 2020 I attended the special clinical mental health tracks at several undue influence themed conferences including the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA)'s international conferences. I continue to participate in trainings for mental health counselors via online trainings during the pandemic and beyond.

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A note on Influence:

Influence is not black and white, good or bad. Influence can be healthy; including when we chose to be influenced or to engage in a process of conscious change work, such as can happen in a healthy counseling relationship. Factors that I believe contribute to healthy influence include informed consent, transparency, accountability, and clear and consistent boundaries.

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While I work with people about many topics, a percentage of my clients do seek me out specifically because of my experience working with other survivors of undue influence, including both those born and raised in destructive groups and those recruited as adults.