I am a walker, a meditator, and an intermittent yogi. Being in nature soothes my soul. I am more introvert than extrovert, but have been called an “extroverted introvert” more than once. I enjoy creating in the kitchen and am incapable of following a recipe no matter how hard I try. I have a lot of curiosity and have been told by friends and family that I ask too many questions. I love to hear people’s stories- where life has taken them, what they have been through, what they have learned. Most people don’t recognize how amazing they are.

I started my career in 1993 working as a drug and alcohol counselor. In 2004 life changes led to a decision to go to graduate school. In 2007 I earned my Master’s degree from the University of Chicago and in 2009 became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of Illinois. After 22 years of working as a drug and alcohol counselor in Chicago and its suburbs, I moved to rural Tennessee in 2015. There I worked at a community mental health center, while raising animals on a small farm. In 2020, more life changes moved me back to the suburbs of Chicago, where I currently reside.