There is no change without taking action.
You are the change agent in your treatment…but sometimes one needs a boost to get moving again…
Human beings are more like animals than we like to believe. Consider the experience of a real or imagined threat and traumtic event; the response to the event as it occurs will be one of the following: a fight [moving toward], a flight [escape], or a freeze [conservation mode in preparation for death]. Animals have the same type of organic response to threat. In the aftermath, humans will tell the story of the event which is important and puts meaning to our survival from such threat. However, the prefrontal and critical mind then judges the response which perpetuates the boundary breach of the system and then may respond to similar situtations with judgement and criticism which can impede one’s ability to natturally move the traumatic responsive energy through the system in a way that promotes healing. Thus, each threat or traumatic experience gets stuck in the body over a lifetime due to our inability to naturally allow our nervous system to do the work that promotes healing. Animals, on the other hand, find a safe and quiet space, and natural movement throughout the nervous system can be seen as shaking, intense body movements after which they tend to lapse into a recovery period of sleep to replensih the system. In my practice, I utilize Somatic Experiencing techniques to help clienteles to deal with boundary breaches that have resulted from traumatic events and have negatively impacted their ability to healthfully navigate life situations in present time.
My niches include Grief/Loss counseling, Trauma recovery, Life transitions & adaptations which includes Baby Boomers dealing with job loss/career change, relocation changes, as well death & non-death experiences. My clientele also includes people who are experiencing problems brought on by depression, anxiety, and post traumatic stress.
Sessions are interactive and geared toward helping you find solutions and resolutions to the issues you identified as the focus of treatment My approach is to validate your expereinces, support your healing with compassion, understanding and empathy, and promote action to move through traumatic and disstressing experiences so you can claim the person you were born to be.
I work with you from the point of your entry into the counseling relationship to build on your personal strengths as a way to attain personal growth.
My handprint on life is the realization early in life that every person has his/her own gifts to share and impart to others. My own personal experiences awakened my passion of helping those who struggle with emotional, psychological and physical challenges. I have been on the receiving end of being supported in my own healing journey y others who showed patience and compassion yet challenged me to be active in my own healing journey. Also, my love of animals and the healing they offer also has been an imprint in my life. Though I am currently without any animals, my Shih Tzu, Zeus, served as the office house dog for many years gently greeting any who walked through the doors and providing comfort and support to my clientele.
Education
Master of Science in Education, Concentration: Community Counseling, Eastern Illinois University, 1999
Bachelor of Science, Major: Physical Education, Minor: History, Eastern Illinois University, 1982
Licenses & Certifications
National Certified Counselor
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
Somatic Experiencing Practitioner®
Certified Grief Recovery Specialist®
Therapeutic Touch
Awards & Recognition
National Association of Professional Women 2010
People to People Ambassador Programs: Counseling Delegation to Rwanda, 2009
Cambridge Who’s Who 2008
National Alliance on Mental Illness, DuPage County Educator of the Year, 2007
Professional Activities
Wellness Recovery Action Planning Recovery Educator, Facilitator and Trainer, 2001-2006
NAMI “In Your Own Voice” State Trainer/Presenter, 2006-2008
Muscular Dystrophy Association Education Group Facilitator, 2010-2013
Volunteer Activities
Money Mangement Volunteer, Senior Serivce Center of Central IL, 2010-2014
Hobbies
Reading
Writing Poetry
Exercise
Playing the guitar & singing
Traveling
Spending time with Friends
