I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Board Approved Supervisor. I earned two master’s degrees from Denver Seminary in Counseling and Youth Ministry, and I am currently licensed in both Texas and Colorado. Before going into private practice in 1998, I served on church staff giving leadership to students, families, worship and counseling ministries.

I offer individual counseling for women who are 18 years of age and older. I specialize in:

• Church and religious abuse
• Post trauma
• Disordered eating/body image issues
• Relationship issues (particularly between mothers and daughters)
• Burnout for those who have or are serving in ministry
• Sexual identity issues/same sex attraction
• Anxiety and depression
• Spiritual issues
• Singleness and contentment
• Family conflict
• Co-dependency/Emotional dependency

In 2005, I started Nikaō Counseling Center. Nikaō is a Greek word meaning “to have victory over”, “to conquer”, or “to overcome”. My foremost desire is to help people accept the dichotomy that life is full of both joy and suffering. We know from Matthew 16:33 that “in this world we all will have trouble.” But despite whatever “trouble” we may face, I fervently believe that we can learn how to walk the reality of this road. It is on this road that we learn to accept what is, learning to find joy amidst suffering. Ultimately, I believe that victory comes from having a relationship with Christ and knowing He pursues us, loves us unconditionally and desires for us to trust Him with all things. I also know that “trusting” can be incredibly hard in the midst of difficulties, disappointments, and discouragements. I desire to offer a safe place to those who need to wrestle and ask hard questions about themselves and God.

Offering a safe place for people to explore the intricacies of their life can happen through traditional sessions in the Dallas office, but I also offer the opportunity for clients to travel Colorado to participate in intensive counseling. This is designed to meet the individual needs of the client and consists of meeting for 3-5 hours/daily for several days. If this sounds interesting to you, you can find more information about Nikao Colorado here.

I enjoy speaking at churches, para-church ministries, and organizations on topics such as mother-daughter relationships, church abuse (understanding the role of church), female sexuality, identity, resilience amidst suffering and finding contentment in singleness. I have had the privilege of being a speaker for two video projects about the impact of social media in today’s culture and also understanding sexuality through the lens of Christianity.

As a Board Approved Supervisor, I am passionate about equipping and mentoring those who are pursuing licensure as professional counselors. I challenge those I mentor to work towards emotionally healthy spirituality. For more than 25 years, I have been involved in mentoring, discipleship and counseling. Because of this unchanging desire to equip others, I am back in the classroom getting my doctorate in Leadership with an emphasis on understanding the role of systems, both familial and within faith-based organizations.

When I am not studying, you can find me in my garden harvesting goods to make salsa, taking on a home improvement project, hitting golf balls, or running with Hazel, my sweet silver lab.

My favorite quote is from author Henri Nouwen: “Every time you feel hurt, offended or rejected, you have to dare say to yourself: ‘These feelings, strong as they may be, are not telling me the truth about myself. The truth, even though I cannot feel it right now, is that I am a chosen child of God, precious in God’s eyes, called the Beloved from all eternity and held safe in an everlasting embrace.’”