I grew up on the wide, wind-washed plains of rural North Dakota, where silence stretches for miles and the horizon feels endless. As a child I was drawn to the quiet resilience of the prairie rose, a wildflower that bloomed defiantly through dry soil, harsh wind, and long winters. It didn’t just survive. It softened the landscape with its color and reminded me that beauty can take root in even the toughest of places. That image stayed with me, and over time, it became more than a memory. It became a metaphor.

 

Much like that wildflower, I believe people carry within them a natural drive toward healing, growth, and meaning, even when life has been difficult. This belief is the foundation of my practice, Wild Hope, a name chosen as a tribute to the strength, beauty, and adaptability I first saw in the landscapes of my childhood and now see echoed in the lives of those I have the honor to work with.

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I earned my PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Montana, drawn to a training program that valued evidence-based care, diverse training opportunities, and social justice. I have completed extensive clinical training and work experiences providing individual, couples, and group therapy, emergency and acute crisis response, advocacy services, case management, psychological assessment, and systems-level activism and outreach. I have had the opportunity to provide clinical services across a broad range of settings, including outpatient community mental health, university counseling center, veterans affairs medical center, integrated behavioral health within primary care hospitals, intensive outpatient programs, residential rehabilitation for co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, and acute psychiatric inpatient care. These experiences have shaped me to be a well-rounded and flexible clinician, a foundation that now informs my current work by equipping me to tailor treatment plans, coordinate referrals to appropriate community supports, and adapt interventions to effectively support each person’s unique needs.

I offer therapy services for a range of presenting concerns, including anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, substance use, relationship challenges, and life transitions. I specialize in providing compassionate, trauma-informed care to survivors of sexual abuse and intimate partner violence. My professional journey includes serving as a confidential advocate and clinician at the Student Advocacy Resource Center on the University of Montana campus, where I supported students, staff, and community members through experiences of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, identity-based discrimination, and harassment. It was through this work that I became deeply committed to helping guide individuals through complex, often biased systems to ensure equitable access and compassionate support in service of their healing, justice, resilience, and empowerment.

I have also had the privilege of working with veterans at the St. Cloud VA Medical Center, offering specialized mental health support to individuals who have experienced military sexual trauma. In addition to my clinical roles, I had the honor of researching as a Fulbright Scholar in Norway, investigating the unique legal and mental health needs of asylum-seeking women fleeing sexual and gender-based violence. Across every setting, whether therapeutic, advocacy, or research, I prioritize survivors’ autonomy and strengths, support systemic change, and promote evidence-based practices that encourage healing on individual and community levels.
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Located within the historic building of Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church, I offer therapy in a space that is architecturally rich and emotionally grounding. Nestled just off 27th Avenue NE and adjacent to the vibrant Northeast Arts District, this serene setting—with its stained-glass windows and echoes of community history—provides a unique atmosphere for healing. My office here is designed as a warm, welcoming place where you will feel seen and heard. Together, we will build hope and accomplish your goals through relationship-building, storytelling, and courageous authenticity.
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Outside the office I love spending quality time with my husband, son, and dog, taking long walks through neighborhoods and forests, reading books, playing cards, dancing, visiting museums, going to coffee shops, and checking out antique and thrift stores.