For more than 12 years, I've worked with young people and families, offering an integrative perspective that complements the care they already receive.

My Story

I came to this work through my own family and close friends. As a young person, I experienced mental health challenges, treatment, changing schools, and the impact those experiences can have on an entire family. Those years shaped who I am and continue to influence how I work today. Those years showed me that there is no single path through struggle or healing. Every family's experience is different, and some of the most meaningful support often comes from people who have lived through similar experiences and can walk alongside others in ways that traditional care alone cannot.

Helping Families Navigate Mental Health Systems

My career began as an education consultant, helping families across the United States navigate one of the hardest decisions they can face: finding the right therapeutic treatment program, school, or learning environment for a struggling young person.

Over the years, I visited and evaluated more than 50 therapeutic, residential, wilderness, and alternative education programs. I spent countless hours talking with clinicians, educators, young people, and parents to understand what each program did well, where it struggled, and which families it was best suited to serve.

That experience gave me a practical understanding of the youth mental health system that can't be learned from a brochure or a website. It also taught me that finding the right support is about far more than choosing a program. It is about understanding the young person, the family, and what will actually help them move forward together.

Sitting With Families in Their Hardest Moments

Wanting to deepen the way I supported young people and families, I completed a Master of Divinity and trained in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) on the adolescent psychiatric unit at Denver Health, a Level I trauma center.

Working alongside families during moments of crisis taught me how to stay steady when life feels overwhelming, listen for what is happening beneath the surface, and help people reconnect with one another when communication has become difficult.

Master of Divinity (MDiv) · Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) · 10+ years building youth mental health systems internationally

Looking at the Bigger Picture

Alongside my work with families, I've spent the past decade helping strengthen youth mental health systems around the world. I've supported a multi-year youth peer support initiative with Stanford, helped guide a $200 million global youth mental health portfolio, authored peer-reviewed publications, and partnered with organizations across more than ten countries.

That experience has given me a broad perspective on how schools, healthcare, treatment programs, and community organizations work together. It helps me support families not only with the immediate decisions in front of them, but also with a clearer understanding of the wider system they are navigating.

How I Work

Everything I bring to families comes from seeing this work from many different perspectives. I've lived it personally. I've helped families make difficult decisions. I've worked alongside young people in crisis. I've partnered with organizations working to improve youth mental health around the world.

Today, I help families make sense of a confusing system, understand what their child needs, and move forward with greater confidence and connection.