Welcome to Lighthouse Counseling. Therapy is based upon boundaries and trust. Please carefully review the following information since it is the foundation on which the counseling relationship is built.

Educational Background and Credentials:

• MS, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Regent University, 2014
• Cert of Grad Studies, Trauma, Regent University, 2014
• Licensed Professional Counselor (Virginia) – # 0701008716
• Licensed Professional Counselor (Texas) – # 86701

Counseling Background: I have 9 years of counseling work experience in residential, acute care, community agency, crisis intervention, and outpatient private practice settings. I have experience with adolescents and adults, providing personal, psychoeducational and psychosocial counseling services. I also have experience in working with families and caregivers. I have experience working with children and adults in crisis and adults with substance abuse and dependence. Additionally, I have experience working with military individuals and families, trauma, and disaster relief. I am also certified in EMI (Eye Movement Integration).

Counseling/Consultation Process: My orientation to counseling is based on cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, and person-centered theories of counseling, and I employ cognitive-behavioral, Motivational interviewing, person-centered, systems theories. I believe that the primary process of counseling involves helping clients to find the resources within themselves in order to develop requisite skills and address themes related to their presenting problem(s) or underlying issues.  

My role, as your therapist, is to challenge you, provoke insight, teach new skills, and encourage you to explore the choices you have available to you in your current situation, so that you may learn to act and think in a more helpful way. I believe in the therapeutic process and relationship. I am passionate about creating a safe-place for my clients, in which he or she can experience authentic self-expression, validation, self-worth, and motivation toward positive change. In therapy, we will work together as a team. There is no “one size fits all” treatment.

My Responsibilities as Your Counselor: I base my practice on my Christian values and morals. I adhere to the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice approved by the American Association of Christian Counselors and the counseling licensure boards in Virginia and Texas. These ethics and standards are intended to protect the welfare of both my clients and the community I serve. A primary provision of these is my responsibility to protect your right to privacy: 

I do supervise interns and residents in counseling and may, from time to time, ask if you would be willing to allow them to sit in on a session and observe. You have a right to refuse this. If you are not at home during a telehealth session, I am required to obtain where you are and what your vehicle looks like. This is for your safety should an emergency occur.