ABOUT THE PRACTICE

As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I Embrace the Following Philosophies:

• I believe that therapy should address the person as a whole - their mind, body, and spirit
• I believe that people underestimate their ability to change. It's possible to change. It's possible to enjoy life again
• I believe that the biggest thing standing in your way is fear...fear that nothing is ever going to change
• I believe that loving and accepting ourselves for who we are, scars and all, is one of the most courageous things we can do
• I believe that intimate relationships become stronger when both partners turn toward each other for love and support, instead of turning away in anger

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in the State of Colorado. Through my private practice, I serve clients in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, and the surrounding Denver metro area. My specialties include Couples Counseling / Marriage Counseling, Pre-Marital Counseling, and Therapy to address depression, anxiety, and trauma. In addition to traditional talk therapy, I am specially trained in trauma informed Splankna Therapy (please see my Mind-Body Therapy page). My education includes:

• Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, Regis University - Denver, Co
• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, University of Colorado, Denver - Denver, Co
• Masters Level Splankna Practitioner (Mind-Body, trauma informedTherapy), Splankna Therapy Institute - Denver, Co

Private Practice: Hope for the Journey Counseling, LLC - Wheat Ridge, Co.

• West Pines Behavioral Health - Wheat Ridge, Co.
• Center for Personal and Relationship Counseling - Wheat Ridge, Co.
• Potters House Church of Denver, Counseling Center - Aurora, Co.
• Regis University Counseling Center - Broomfield, Co.

I have extensive training and experience counseling couples who struggle with relationship issues related to communication, conflict resolution, infidelity, loss of trust, sex, finances, parenting, and many others. In addition, I have extensive training and experience working with individuals struggling with depression, anxiety, panic attacks, grief and loss, trauma, and relational issues with family, friends, or significant others.

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My hope is that you will rediscover joy and connection in your life and relationships. No matter what is happening around you, believing that there is hope is the beginning of change...in yourself and in your relationship.

I’m no different from the clients I see. Like everyone else, I've been through both wonderful and difficult experiences that have shaped who I am and how I help.

When I went through a divorce years ago, I found myself very alone and struggling to navigate life as a single mother and primary caregiver to my 2 young boys. Everything in my life shifted, and I felt a deep sadness that I couldn't shake. I struggled with worry and anxiety like I never had before. As much as my family and friends loved and supported me, I needed something more.

I found a mental health therapist with whom I felt comfortable, and she provided a safe place for me to process my grief and express myself without judgment. She helped me be kind to myself, trust myself, and change the unhealthy patterns in my relationships. I was able to find compassion for myself, and acceptance and forgiveness for my situation. I came out of that experience stronger, more confident, and with healthy coping skills for the future. 

I know what it's like for life to take an unexpected and difficult turn. Without therapy, I don't know who I would be today. My life experiences are what have led me to become the therapist that I am today.

I'm proud to say that I am a Colorado native, and I have spent many years living and working in Wheat Ridge, Colorado and the surrounding areas.

As I grew up, I watched my parents volunteer their time as teacher, counselor, and friend to those who were hurting. They taught me that the most important things in life are not 'things'...they are people. They challenged me to forge relationships with those around me and find ways to invest in my community in meaningful ways.

I believe that we are all emotional, relational, and spiritual beings, and each is an integral part of a whole person.

I will meet you where you are in every aspect of your life, and together, we will determine your goals for therapy.

I have many memories of camping with family in the Rocky Mountains, riding bikes from sunrise to sunset, and, chaotic but joyful family gatherings during the holidays. My sisters and I had many adventures with our friends, including swimming, horseback riding, backpacking in the Rockies, and going to summer camp in the mountains.

I still love to travel, but I must admit that I suffer from the same malady as most other Colorado natives...I am unable to tell directions when I am not in Colorado. After all, the two primary directions, "toward the mountains" and "away from the mountains," don't apply everywhere! I continue to be utterly amazed by the beauty of these mountains and feel grateful that it's only a short drive to my favorite spots. I try to get there as often as possible and make more incredible memories. 

"Asking for help isn't weak, it's a great example of how to take care of yourself." ~Charlie Brown

I believe that every person in this world deserves love, support, respect, and to be heard and understood.  I also believe we are not meant to struggle through life's difficulties alone. 

I understand what it feels like to be on the other side of "the couch", and I know how scary it can feel to share personal information, and hope the person sitting across from you will be a good fit.  As your therapist, it is my honor and privilege to walk alongside you on your therapeutic journey.  I strive to provide a professional, but welcoming atmosphere, without judgment or negativity.  Each session belongs to you, and I am there to provide guidance, perspective, compassion, support, and challenges, when needed.  My aim is for you to feel calmer, more positive, and at peace with yourself by the end of each session.

I take an integrative and holistic approach into my therapeutic practice, as I have found blending elements and interventions from different modalities allows me to tailor treatment according to each client's needs.  I also take into account the mind-body connection, and believe that our thoughts and feelings directly impact how our bodies feel and function.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Colorado and am able to provide teletherapy services to anyone residing in Colorado.  I recently moved from Boulder County to Routt County, and hope to extend the services I offer to my new community. 

• LPC, Colorado license # 0014271(2017- current)
• LPE-I, Arkansas license #09-05EI  (2015 - 2016)
• LPE, Arkansas license #09-05E  (2009-2014)
• MA in Psychology 2004 - Forest Institute of Professional Psychology, Springfield, MO
• BA in Psychology 1997 - Millsaps College, Jackson, MS

• West Pines Behavioral Health - Wheat Ridge, CO
• Community Reach Center, Crisis Stabilization - Westminster, CO
• CHI St. Vincent Infirmary, Acute Psychiatry- Little Rock, AR
• Psycamore Psychiatric Programs - Jackson, MS
• Andrews Neuropsychology Consulting, LLC - Little Rock, AR
• Baptist Health Medical Center, Acute Psychiatry and School IEP - Little Rock, AR
• CONCERN for Kids - Bloomsburg, PA
• UMMC - Child Development and Behavioral Health - Jackson, MS
• Dominic Hospital, Acute Psychiatry- Jackson, MS

I always thought I would follow in my dad's footsteps by attending medical school and specializing in Psychiatry.  My dad, who has been a practicing psychiatrist since the 1970's, instilled in me his love of neurology, psychiatry, psychology, and all things related to brain and personality development.

In college, I signed up for all the expected pre-med classes, like organic chemistry and molecular biology; but made sure to sign up for some introductory psychology classes, as all of these classes together would make me a well-rounded psychiatrist.  I discovered pretty quickly that I was not cut out for medical school, as I had no interest nor felt any stimulation from the topics I studied.  What I discovered instead, was an intense love and passion for any and everything psychology.  This passion was further cemented when I was able to train under Child Psychologist, Kim Ray, at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where I began working as a certified Applied Behavior Analyst, providing this therapy to children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum disorder.  

For many years I worked with children, adolescents and their families in a variety of different settings, treating emotional, psychological, and behavioral symptoms and conditions.  I loved working with this population, as I felt I was making a difference by educating young people about emotions, and how to cope with these emotions.  Life threw me some curveballs, as it does at unexpected times, and, and I began working more and more with adults. As a result, I now have a renewed passion for helping my fellow adults navigate this thing called "life". 

I was raised in a biracial/bi-faith/bi-religion family in the 1980s and 1990s.  My dad immigrated from South India to the U.S. in 1975 and met my mother, a blonde-haired, green-eyed, Caucasian lady from Arkansas.  This unlikely pair had and raised 3 kiddos, and as the oldest, I was the lucky Guinea pig.  My family moved a few times as my dad switched jobs.  The most significant move was from Ohio to Mississippi when I was 12 years old. 

There was only one other biracial kid at my middle school/high school, and there were very few Asians, especially South Asians, in my community.  Finding where I fit in was quite a difficult task, especially being a Yankee.  Though I would never be persuaded to relive my middle school or high school years, I gained a lot of perspective from not always fitting in, or being considered different, or even viewed as an "outsider".  

The opportunities I have been afforded to travel to other countries, as well as different parts of this country, have allowed me to see that no matter how different we feel, or how distant we feel from others, we have more commonalities than differences.  We all feel the same feelings, of pain, confusion, joy, anger, hurt......and this is what makes for the human experience.  Is the human experience always easy? ....No, but we can cope and get through it together. 

My partner and I moved to Colorado in 2016.  The mountains were calling us, and we answered their call. We now call Colorado our forever home.  From 2016 to 2020 we lived in the Denver-metro area and experienced all the fun that city life had to offer.  In 2021 we moved to Boulder County, and loved the quieter, slower pace of life.  We recently relocated to Steamboat Springs, and feel so lucky to be up close to the mountains and Champagne Powder with our 2 dogs and 17 year old daughter.