My passion for helping others, within all aspects of life, was born out of my personal experiences overcoming challenges with family and school. I grew up in Washington DC and went to a boarding school slightly outside of Boston. After completing high school, I joined the fire department in Maryland working as both a firefighter and an emergency medical technician on the ambulance while studying social work and psychology at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. You can hear more about this on the PsychAttack Podcast.
Throughout this time, I worked with various wilderness therapy programs across the country including those in Alaska, West Virginia, Arizona, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. I also got to help start a program focused solely on follow-up support for teenagers returning home from these outdoor programs. This model is now nationally recognised and delivered across the United States.
Upon coming to Australia, I found a need for more programs that connect with children and adolescents through relationship and care. I started True North Expeditions in 2012 and continue to enjoy running one of a select few programs in Australia provided research-supported wilderness therapy program for individually referred clients. Our work with True North is flexible with families as we strive to accommodate everyone's individual needs and strengths.
I fell in love with research - boring I know - as I saw that the questions we ask about psychotherapy outcomes aren't achieving improved outcomes! I have worked with Dr Scott Miller from the International Center for Clinical Excellence to consider the steps practitioners can take to improve their psychotherapy practice. I have taken this mentorship to write with an international group of researchers about improving outdoor therapy outcomes and challenging the harms caused by the Troubled Teen Industry.
Throughout this time, I worked with various wilderness therapy programs across the country including those in Alaska, West Virginia, Arizona, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. I also got to help start a program focused solely on follow-up support for teenagers returning home from these outdoor programs. This model is now nationally recognised and delivered across the United States.
Upon coming to Australia, I found a need for more programs that connect with children and adolescents through relationship and care. I started True North Expeditions in 2012 and continue to enjoy running one of a select few programs in Australia provided research-supported wilderness therapy program for individually referred clients. Our work with True North is flexible with families as we strive to accommodate everyone's individual needs and strengths.
I fell in love with research - boring I know - as I saw that the questions we ask about psychotherapy outcomes aren't achieving improved outcomes! I have worked with Dr Scott Miller from the International Center for Clinical Excellence to consider the steps practitioners can take to improve their psychotherapy practice. I have taken this mentorship to write with an international group of researchers about improving outdoor therapy outcomes and challenging the harms caused by the Troubled Teen Industry.
My Approach to Therapy
My background is grounded in a solution-focused and relationship-centred counselling approach. The first goal is to build relationship and connect on how we can construct the life people desire. I am very interested in recognising peoples' key strengths and resources they already. This process involves observing as people experience themselves at their best. Solutions will emerge, helping people uncover a life with less stress, better relationships, and more happiness.
