psychotherapy and hypnotherapy
About me
I am enjoying a career that allows me to do what I love! I have a bachelor's in psychology and master's in social work from the University of Kentucky, achieving LCSW licensure in 2001. My social work experience includes over 25 years of work in direct service, clinical, educational and leadership roles.
In 2022 I made the decision to retire from a full time job with our city government in Lexington, allowing me to invest my attention in a longtime interest – clinical hypnosis. I now hold a certification in clinical hypnosis from the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis. In addition to my psychotherapy practice, I am on faculty in the Department of Social Work at Eastern Kentucky University where I thoroughly enjoying teaching future generations of social workers!
I am a native of Lexington, investing much of my free time in serving our community in a volunteer capacity. I am founder and board member for Bluegrass Families First, executive committee member for 100 Women and an active member of the Kentucky Society for Clinical Social Work. In my free time I enjoy music, hiking, meditation, jogging, yoga, experimenting in the kitchen, and visiting my daughter and granddog in Florida just as often as I can get there.
My approach
My style has evolved through the years as I have grown and learned, and continues to do so. After many years of working in a fast-paced mental health clinic, I realized that an approach focussed specifically on symptom reduction/elimination did not feel right to me. This shift to a more positive mindset has proven beneficial in my professional and personal relationships, and it has also helped me in caring for myself and making positive changes in my own life. ​
My clinical approach incorporates a number of practices that I've learned through education, training and experience; these include cognitive/behavioral, attachment theory, solution-focussed/brief therapy, mindfulness, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and most recently clinical hypnosis based on the pioneering work of Milton Erickson.
In my study and practice of clinical hypnosis, I find it to be one of the most positive approaches I have learned! I view hypnosis to be a powerful tool that can help us get to a deeper place to explore a vast array of inner resources. My clients certainly have the opportunity to explore such resources through trance work, but it is only one of many tools that we can use. I am happy to provide individual therapy without use of hypnosis too!