Professional Experience

Creative Remedies, LLC

- Owner/Operator, Clinical Director, Clinical Supervisor,  & Practice Manager

- Offers: 

• Clinical Mental Health Counseling

• Music Therapy

• Play Therapy

• Expressive Arts Therapy

• Adaptive/Therapeutic Music Lessons

• Traditional Music Lessons

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Please see my full Curriculum Vitae (CV) here.
 

Education

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• Doctor of Health Sciences -- Purdue University (beginning November 2023, anticipated graduation June 2025)

• Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies, Play Therapy -- Sacred Heart University (August 2023)

• Master of Arts, Clinical Mental Health Counseling -- Northwestern University (September 2020)

• Certificate of Psychology of Leadership -- Cornell University (February 2019)

• Master of Music, Music Therapy -- Colorado State University (May 2016)

• Bachelor of Arts, Music -- Texas Woman's University (August 2013)

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Licenses and Certifications

• Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC.0018860)

• Registered Play Therapist (in progress)

• Nationally Certified Counselor (#1547036)

• Board-Certified Music Therapist (#12291)

• Psychological First Aid 

• Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (American Heart Association | American Stroke Association)

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Expertise

I specialize in the intersection of mental health, trauma, and Neurodiversity. Neurodiversity encompasses any difference in brain structure or neurology. Often, colloquially, we refer to Autistic Folx, ADHDers, etc as "Neurodivergent People" but this label extends also to Traumatic or Acquired Brain Injury, Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Post-Traumatic Stress Response, Dementia, and many others. I am trained in Trauma-Informed Care, Psychological First Aid, Mental Health Screening, Disability Screening, and more. 

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I have experience in numerous mental health settings including, but not limited to: inpatient psychiatric facilities (both private and public hospitals), intensive outpatient programs, partial hospitalization programs, adaptive school settings, and outpatient such as private practice. I have provided both group and individual therapy in all settings with some experience providing couples and family therapy on an outpatient basis.

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As someone who shares some of the above intersections (ADHD + PTSD), I am committed to providing, overseeing, and supervising high quality care that is accessible, affordable, and efficacious. I understand the importance of receiving tailored support in an inequitable society and this informs our mission statements. If our services are not the right fit, we will provide referrals to recommended clinicians and services as available.

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Why I Became A Mental Health Counselor, Music Therapist, & Play Therapist

The seeds for becoming a Creative Therapist were planted almost with my conception. My mother is a professional artist and art educator. The seeds of my creative training were sowed throughout my childhood as she taught me art techniques and played the piano around me sparking my joyous introduction to music which led to starting informal lessons with her as early as I can remember then formal lessons at age 8. My father was a healthcare provider and emphasized the importance of my education and understanding human systems and processes. As I grew older, these two interests collided into my formal college education listed below.

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As an adolescent, I struggled in many ways -- some similar to the general adolescent experience and some were unique to me. I had gone through much of my early life undiagnosed and later learned I live with ADHD, Combine Type. The struggles I experienced led to other diagnoses of Anxiety, Depression, and PTSD which are commonly overlapped experiences of Women with ADHD, particularly those who were undiagnosed until later in life. Throughout all my struggles, I found that music, poetry, and visual art were my anchors. I didn't always have the words to call out for help from other people, but these were always there for me.

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When I began performing and teaching music in college, I realized I approached the art differently than many around me. I found my students opening up to me about their difficult home lives and I found it important to hold space for that because I believed they needed to be emotionally well to perform well. This became an impetus for my journey as a music therapist. 

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After working as a music therapist for a few years in various psychiatric settings, I knew I wanted to further the depth of my training and offerings so I elected to earn a second master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling to be able to open my current practice, Creative Remedies, and offer services on an outpatient basis. My main goal when I first opened our proverbial doors in February of 2019 was to reduce recidivism of people who did not need a higher level of care or were returning to the community after discharge from inpatient/IOP/PHP treatment to maintain their mental health. There is a significant lack of community-based services that are accessible, affordable, and provide a wide-range of mental health care in Colorado and my heart is determined to reduce that issue in our little corner of the world. 

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Creative therapies are often misunderstood because they are seen as supplemental, adjunctive, or otherwise "the cherry on top". But for many people, particularly Neurodivergent People, creative therapies may reach them the way simply talking cannot. A breadth of research supports the efficacy of creative therapies in deeper processing and creativity is even a core part of major trauma therapies like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). This led me to earning my Play Therapy graduate certificate which allows me to provide Play Therapy and Expressive Arts Therapy. 

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In recent years, I have been consulted and sought out as a clinical supervisor for Music Therapy service learning students, practicum students, and interns. I have developed a community-based Music Therapy program that has provided numerous people with pro bono support with a specialty service through groups, facility work, and individual offerings. I am honored to continue overseeing Music Therapy students and supporting our community receiving services they might not be able to access otherwise. My next plans are to complete my clinical supervision training specific to taking on Mental Health Counseling students, continue expanding the therapeutic and educational offerings at Creative Remedies, and embark on my doctoral studies in Health Sciences to further hone my expertise as a clinician, supervisor, consultant, director, and global citizen.​

 

Bio

I have defined myself in many ways throughout my life so writing bios has never gleaned consistency. Currently, in addition to the work listed above, I also continue to perform music regularly (usually several times a month both for private events and in public places), I write and publish poetry, and I engage in other artistic and social justice work such as serving as the Womxn's Committee Leader on the Colorado Musicians' Union board. As a person outside of the lines on my resume, I go to my own therapy and actively work to manage my own ADHD and PTSD. I aim to know better and do better every day in my personal and professional life. I am originally from a small farming town in Texas and moved to Colorado in 2013 to pursue my first graduate degree. Much of my personal healing and professional development occurred here so even though I had a longer tenure in Texas and my family still resides there, Colorado is my home. 

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