In 1997, I began my social work career working in group homes for adolescents with serious emotional disturbances. Since then, I have worked with many professionals and agencies in the Missoula area. My experience includes group home manager, children’s mental health case manager, family advocate, housing advocate, summer camp coordinator, case manager for homeless adults, family support specialist, foster care and adoption licensing worker, therapist, clinical supervisor, foster care licensing supervisor, psychiatric emergency assessment and referral social worker (mostly with suicidal patients at a local hospital), and now private-practice counselor and therapist.
My clients range from 4 years of age to elderly. I see couples, families, and individuals who live in all sorts of settings: traditional 2 parent families, blended, divorced, divorcing, single-parent, same-sex, kinship, foster, and adoptive families. Some of my clients live independently, some are in shelter care or adult group homes; some are homeless. I actively strive to keep a diverse caseload, and clients range across the socio-economic spectrum.
I am a trauma-informed therapist, but not all my clients have a trauma history. I also have a great deal of experience with attachment issues, but not all my clients have difficulty with attachments. Relationship work of all kinds—couples, parent/child (throughout the lifespan), friendships, siblings, and employee/employer—is a major focus of my practice.
I work with most acting out behaviors, including sexualized behaviors, aggression, suicide and suicidal ideation. I am comfortable working with complex cases including substance use, though I do not work as an addiction counselor. I have served on the boards of non-profit organizations, and have been involved with many collaborative projects between non-profits. My work with advocacy groups taught me a great deal about group dynamics, organizational leadership, and the interplay between personal growth, professional growth, agency mission, and social change.
I have lived in Missoula since 1983. I am originally from Northern New Jersey. In addition to my Masters in Social Work Degree, I have a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana. My non-social work history includes a stint owning my own landscaping business and working as a wildlife biology tech. I am married, with three kids. I enjoy the outdoors, especially biking, hiking, camping, and bird watching.