Beyond the Therapy Room

And then there are my chickens. They’ve become a surprisingly joyful part of my life and a good reminder that some of the best moments are very simple ones. That’s Pearl with me in the photo.

I’ve known since I was 12 years old that I wanted to be a therapist. It wasn’t simply a career I chose along the way; I’ve always felt called to this work. More than 30 years later, I still feel incredibly fortunate to spend my life doing work that is meaningful and purposeful to me.

Family is at the center of my life. I’ve been married for more than 30 years, and my husband and I have raised three amazing children into adulthood—and more recently, we’ve had the joy of becoming grandparents to identical twin boys. Experiencing those different seasons of family life has given me a personal appreciation of many of the things I see in my work every day: healthy relationships aren’t static, they have to grow and change as we do.

Outside the therapy room, I’m happiest at home—usually making something, working on a project, spending time outside, or taking care of the assorted animals who have become part of our family. I love knitting, quilting and other creative projects, gardening, and finding beauty in ordinary things.

And that’s Oliver in the other photo. My daughter found him living on the streets when he was about six months old—starving, but apparently confident enough to jump right into her car. She couldn’t take him home, so naturally, she brought him to mine. I had always sworn I’d never have a big dog, much less a pit bull mix. Of course, we fell in love with him immediately. Oliver is now 70 pounds, still has absolutely no idea how big he is, and has somehow become the lap dog I always wanted.