After earning my bachelor’s degree in 2012, I moved out west to work as a wilderness field guide for two years in the Southwest Utah desert. There, I witnessed firsthand how resilient and adaptive humans can be as they adjust to life "in the field". I then transitioned to working in a young adult transitional living program, where many individuals were enrolling from wilderness programs or other therapeutic placements. This experience allowed me to see the “real world” application of the tools and insights they had gained in treatment and gave me a realistic understanding of the importance of having a clear plan and support system in place to maintain therapeutic momentum. Through these experiences, I saw how vital family involvement is in a child’s treatment process to ensure the gains made in therapy are sustained.

This realization led me to pursue a concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy during my graduate studies at Valdosta State University in 2015. I was committed to becoming a clinician trained in family systems theory to ensure my approach in treatment was comprehensive. In the Spring of 2018, I returned to the world of wilderness therapy to start the Family Program at Blue Ridge. Working directly with the parents of children and young adults enrolled in our program has given me a strong understanding of the needs of families throughout the wilderness process, as well as a realistic perspective on what can be accomplished in this clinical setting while working in tandem with the Family Program.

My clinical experience in this field, along with my time as an in-home therapist for at-risk adolescents referred by the Department of Juvenile Justice, has reinforced my belief that the family system often unintentionally influences many of a child’s presenting issues. I believe that temporary, intentional out-of-home placement for struggling adolescents can provide the safe container that both the child and their family need to reset, reflect, and effectively address clinical concerns. I am passionate about utilizing the wilderness as a catalyst for therapeutic change—for the entire family.This is what led me to choose the concentration of Marriage and Family Therapy in my graduate studies at Valdosta State University in 2015. I was intent on pursuing my training as a clinician of providing treatment rooted in family systems theory, to ensure that my clinical approach was comprehensive. I was then led back into the world of wilderness therapy to start the Family Program here at Blue Ridge in winter of 2017. From this experience of working directly with the parents whose kids were enrolled in our program, I believe I have a pulse on the needs of families throughout the wilderness process as well as a realistic idea as to what can be accomplished in the field while working in tandem with the Family Program.

My clinical experience in this field, along with fulfilling the role as an in-home therapist for at-risk youth referred by The Department of Juvenile Justice, has confirmed my belief that the family system often unintentionally influences many of the child’s presenting issues. My belief is that temporary, intentional, out of home placement for struggling adolescents can often provide the safe container that the child and their family members need in order to reset, reflect, and to best address the clinical areas of concern. I am passionate about utilizing the wilderness as a catalyst for therapeutic change— for the entire family.

I grew up in the Southeast, and I call this region and its mountains home! As a child, my family’s weekends often involved being outside—hiking to waterfalls along the Appalachian Trail and cooking meals over campground fire pits. Today, you can find me in Athens, where I live with my husband and our Australian Shepherd. I love attending University of Georgia sporting events, participating in road races, experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, exploring Athens’ food scene, and spending time with family and friends spread across the Carolinas, California, and all the way to New Zealand.

• Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy, Valdosta State University
• Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia

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