I was born and grew up in Pennsylvania. I have lived in several different states over the years: Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Arizona, Virginia, North Carolina, and Kansas but now reside with my family in Naperville, Illinois. I was on the Dance Team in high school and taught gymnastics. I earned both a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Master’s degree in Education/Counselor Rehabilitation from Penn State University. I earned a PhD from Western Michigan University in Counselor Education and Supervision, with a clinical specialty in Gerontology. I have been a Clinical Mental Health Therapist for 20 years. I have worked with kids, teens, adults, and families. I have relied upon CBT, DBT, ACT, art therapy, and play therapy in my sessions with clients to help them heal from all kinds of hurts. I have also worked as a Counseling Professor for the last 24 years and I train both Master and Doctoral level students in all of their counseling skills, techniques, theories, ethics, and assessments. I have conducted research and published articles and a book chapter on different subjects related to human growth and development. I love my daughter (more than anything in the world) but I also love spaghetti and iced tea, horses, dogs, kids, and learning anything new. I own 3 horses, 2 donkeys, and a basset hound puppy! They all keep me very busy.