About Me

I am a speaker, educator, and mental health professional passionate about helping individuals, couples, parents, and ministry leaders navigate the complicated realities of relationships, family, faith, and life transitions.

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I hold a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Language. My perspective has been shaped by years of experience in mental health, education, ministry, foster care, and adoption. I have worked extensively with foster, adoptive, and high-risk youth and families, taught students from kindergarten through 12th grade, and served in ministry in the United States and abroad.

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I also bring personal experience to many of the topics I teach. As a former foster parent and adoptive parent, including through an international adoption, I have experienced firsthand both the beauty and complexity of building a family through adoption. These experiences have deeply influenced the way I approach topics such as parenting, attachment, trauma, and family relationships.

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My speaking and workshop topics primarily focus on marriage and relationships, parenting, foster care and adoption, and the unique challenges of ministry life, including burnout and maintaining healthy relationships while serving others.

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I enjoy taking research, clinical concepts, and real-world experience and turning them into practical, engaging teaching that people can actually use. My approach is conversational, practical, and often infused with humor and real-life stories. I believe the best teaching does more than give people information. It helps them see familiar challenges from a new perspective and gives them practical tools for moving forward.

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Whether I am speaking to couples about connection, helping parents understand challenging behavior, training professionals who work with foster and adoptive families, or encouraging ministry leaders toward healthier rhythms, my goal is simple: to help people build stronger relationships and approach difficult things with wisdom and hope.