Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, I moved to the Midwest to attend graduate school in Counseling Psychology at the University of Missouri – Columbia (my long-shot school!) and earned my doctoral degree in 2005. I completed a year-long internship at the University of Oregon and a post-doctoral program at the University of Missouri – Columbia.
In 2007, I accepted a faculty position at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL), bringing me to my current home of Lincoln, Nebraska. While at UNL, I trained master’s and doctoral level students, taught classes, and established a research program focused on trauma, objectification, and working with survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. Even when I was busy with the demands of my academic position, I loved working therapeutically with clients. During this time, I maintained a small private practice where I worked with individual clients, couples, and provided group counseling.
In addition to my traditional training as a psychologist, I have trained with Dr. Brené Brown and have become a certified facilitator of her work (Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator). As well, I am a certified yoga teacher, with expertise in both trauma-informed yoga and grief-yoga.
In 2019, I took a leave from my job at the university to open Love Warrior Healing. I was dipping my toe in this great ocean of stepping into my dharma – my life purpose – in a new way. I increased the number of clients I worked with and launched numerous workshops focused on building shame-resilience and self-compassion, and learning ways to use journaling as a self-help and coping tool. I also led trauma-informed yoga and grief yoga sessions. Additionally, I began a monthly Women’s Circle and a monthly Book Club. I was on fire with this new path! So in 2020, I officially took the leap, resigning from my tenured position at the university after 13 years, and embracing my work with Love Warrior Healing full time.
