Hello. I'm Gayle (she/her). So glad you're here. A thumbnail about me. I've spent most of my life in the San Francisco Bay Area and Pacific Northwest. My passions are permaculture, vintage pickin, and savoring the perfect cup of coffee. My journey as a professional helper began in animal welfare and led to the introduction of facility dogs in school counseling programs. Working with me, you may meet my two dogs, though I promise to keep them from taking center stage. For much of my career, I have focused on school-based mental health, animal-assisted therapy, and restorative practices. I completed my early training at the Mental Research Institute in Palo Alto, CA -- the West Coast birthplace of interactional therapy. So, what does that mean, interactional therapy? It's considering each individual's relationship with almost everything and learning how they relate to that person, place, or thing. An area of interest and knowledge is supporting queer and questioning youth. I'm a founder/leader of an LGBTQIA+ affinity group and a gender inclusion task force at a K-12 school. I fully endorse this quote from writer and performance artist Alok Vaid-Menon, "There's magic in being seen by people who understand – it gives you permission to keep going."