Experience

I started on this path as a volunteer firefighter in rural Clark County, Washignton, later also serving as an intern at a combination fire department in Alaska. After time in the army I returned to the Pacific Northwest, and have worked as a firefighter and fire officer at busy stations at Portland Fire and Rescue since 2004. These experiences form a background of understanding some of the challenges faced by career first responders, such as carrying trauma, experiencing burnout, and managing chronic sleep deprivation. As my career is shifting to being a helper who helps other helpers, I want to help others find wellness within their own specific context.

Training and Education

I am a graduate of Lewis and Clark’s master’s counseling program. Additionally, I am certified in ecotherapy, and respect the significance of the relationship between humanity and nature. As a researcher, I am interested in better understanding how meaning, relationships, and burnout impact the mental health of first responders. I believe in grounding my work as a therapist into the research of others as well, and consider myself a life-long learner.

Why me?

I understand a fundamental tension of first responder mental health, that we must perform at work but still be healthy at home. Holding both our strength and our breakability together is a perspective that few outside of our culture can truly appreciate. I respect that many of us stand at such intersections, where who we truly are is difficult for others to see. Much of my role as a therapist is simply to provide a place for you to be you.