About Me
I was born and raised in Houston, TX. I've also lived in London, England and Atlanta, GA. Prior to my recent migration to Sydney, Australia I travelled the world for 7 months throughout the US, Peru, Europe, India, Nepal and Southeast Asia. I learned invaluable experiences while traveling and immersed myself in the different cultures. I'm an animal lover from ferrets to horses and have enjoyed discovering native Australian animals. My favorite pastime is spending time with family and friends whether it's in person or virtually.
Professional Training: I received my Bachelor's in Psychology from Richmond, The American International University in London and my Masters in Social Work from the University of Georgia. I hold a Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy through the University of Georgia. I am a member of the Australian Association of Social Workers and am recognized as an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker.
Expertise in Evidence Based Treatment:
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): DBT was created by Marsha Linehan for emotion regulation and disorders of under-control. I'm a DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Clinician™. This certification is the highest level of certification a clinician may achieve in DBT and ensures consumers that the clinician is providing the most effective treatment possible. I completed my Core Clinical Training through Treatment Implementation Collaborative and am part of an international DBT consultation team. I have extensive experience providing DBT groups, individual, parent sessions, phone coaching and family sessions to children, adolescents and adults.
Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (RO-DBT): I'm intensively trained in Radically Open DBT (RO-DBT), which was created by Dr. Thomas Lynch for disorders of over-control. I've received group supervision from Dr. Thomas Lynch, consult with trainers internationally and am part of a national RO-DBT team in Australia. I provide RO-DBT skills classes, individual therapy, and phone coaching to children, adolescents and adults.
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR): I completed an 8 week training for MBSR and incorporate mindfulness techniques throughout the therapy. I've also attended retreats at the Kopan Monastery in Kathmandu and studied meditation at the Sadhana Yoga and Meditation Retreat Centre in Pokhara, Nepal.
Areas of Interest: I'm an advocate for early intervention with child and adolescent mental health issues. I created and implemented a Children's DBT Program using adaptations of traditional DBT skills. I worked with my team to create a workbook for adolescents and adapted aspects of RO-DBT to work with children as young as 7. I provided consultation to my colleagues on intervention techniques and administered assessments to measure program success. I collaborate with schools, teachers, psychiatrists and parents to increase awareness of childhood mental health issues and the effectiveness of DBT and RO-DBT. I’ve presented on adaptations of DBT for children at the Texas National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) conference and am currently working on projects to educate Australian mental health leaders on adaptations of DBT with children.
