My roots – where and who I come from

I am a true Mid-Westerner at heart.  Born and raised in central Illinois, I grew up in the prairie state.  Not a lot happens there which is what I liked about it.  The quietness, safety, and security are priceless.  As a Mid-Westerner, I learned to appreciate the small pleasures in life.  I could play cards for hours with my family and never get tired of it. Or, sit on the front porch on a humid summer night watching the fire flies dance atop the bushes.  They made the night sparkle! 

My parents, grandparents, and great grandparents all devoted their professional lives to either education or ministry.  Surrounded by ministers and teachers, I naturally found myself falling into the same sort of role.  I knew by the age of 16 that I wanted to go into the field of psychology and jumped right into it from the start of college.  My family, valuing education and appreciating a field that focuses on helping people, I was encouraged to move forward on this life’s journey. 

So, I did just that.  I went to Beloit College in Wisconsin and majored in Psychology.  Next, I attended Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri where I received my Masters in Social Work.  Personally, I chose to leave the Mid-West because I felt as a younger woman that it had given me what I needed in life – it taught me the basic fundamentals of how to live a simple, clean and honest life. That makes me happy!

Leaving the Mid-West and moving to California

It was not until I moved out to southern California where I learned more about psychology and recognized my true desire and passion to be a psychotherapist.

When I arrived to California, the stability I grew up with dramatically shifted.  I had challenges to face with various family relations that I never would have imagined. This really rattled me!  Consequently, the intellectualism I gained in studying psychology turned into a true lived experience.  I entered into therapy and had the wonderful gift of sharing 7 years with a very special group of women and a very dear psychologist who will always hold a true place in my heart.  We grew together and helped one another to learn to accept, and work through deep disappointments and emotional pain from our family of origin.  I am forever grateful for that experience and will never forget those Monday night group therapy sessions.

From then on, I was hooked!  Hey, I want to do this!  So, I quickly found Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara County.  The school focused on depth psychology valuing the significance of dreams, psycho-analysis, and Jungian psychology – I found my new home in California!  I was dancing with excitement inside!  Important to note, I chose Pacifica not because I wanted the PhD, but because of the values and principles it is ruled by in clinical psychology.  Basically the idea is, tend to your soul, follow your passion, and listen to your dreams.  It is believed that dreams have a language of their own. When we tend to them regularly, the answers we search for begin to arise from within ourselves.  Between my own therapy and Pacifica, I was sold! 

So I worked hard, got to the finish line, and developed my own successful private practice in California.  Pacifica introduced me and continues to introduce me to elders in the field who continue to help me on my path to learn more that I may apply to my practice in addition to my own personal life.     

So what do I do for fun…in Arizona?

Living in LA while working full time and going to school full time filled up my days.  When I graduated I knew I needed more. I am now happily married and working on developing my new private practice in Arizona.  The real hard work both personally and professionally is done!  My husband and I decided to leave the rat race in the Los Angeles area! 

So now what?  Well, with the help of my husband, we are tending to our land in Arizona, enjoying the wild life we are surrounded by – especially the two gray horned owls who have made our beloved pine tree their new home!  Beyond the wild life, we are also creating a new community of dear friends. 

I love working with kids, and I absolutely love cats!  I know there will be some sort of volunteer opportunity for me to get involved in.  That is what I most certainly look forward to. 

Further, I am creating a new group of friendly professional relations with whom I look forward to collaborating, consulting, and socializing.  I could not think of anything better!

Thank you California for all of the tough life lessons you have taught me.  I would not change a thing!  And Arizona….here I am!