About Me

I want to see you start the next chapter of your life. That's why I named my business Next Chapter Counseling. To do this, I'd like to help you take an unflinching look at your life, so you can better understand what's your responsibility, and what's not. If you're experiencing flashbacks or intrusive thoughts, your mind may still be trying to figure out what went wrong. 

I believe the past is a place to visit, in your memories, but you should choose whether to open the photo album. The past shouldn't keep you up at night. 

Am I the right person to help you do this? Can I handle your stories? 

I grew up in a family of veterans, Department of Defense civil servants, and international travelers. I sensed PTSD and survivor's guilt before I knew the words for them. I grew up in Monterey, California, a place of immense natural beauty, peace-seeking artists, and significant military presence at the Naval Postgraduate School and the Defense Language Institute. 

I used to feel like I didn't belong anywhere. Now, most days, I see myself as a bridge. I have a multifaceted background, and I have lived experience in the liminal space between the military and civilian worlds, the liberal arts and the hard sciences, and introspective writing vs. intense exercise. 

• I have written two novels and run a marathon... and I've drained my phone battery while writing notes and walking. 
• I started college as a chemistry major...  and I graduated from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service with an interdisciplinary degree in Science, Technology, and International Affairs. 
• I continued to graduate school for a PhD in Applied Mathematics and Engineering Sciences. I wanted to understand how the world worked, and I anticipated a career in climate change modeling. 

Instead, in 2006, I felt drawn to support the people deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Our country had deployed troops to these countries after the attack on 9/11, and I didn't want to stand by, doing nothing. I worked for the Center for Naval Analyses, a think tank supporting the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, known for its field program. Since World War II, CNA has sent analysts and scientists into the field, into combat zones and miliary staffs, to assist with training, planning, and operations analysis.  

I embraced this opportunity! I deployed to Iraq for 7 months to analyze efforts at countering roadside bombs. I also spent 14 months at Camp Leatherneck in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, helping the Marines assess their operations and making recommendations to improve pre-deployment training. 

I returned with the deepest respect for those who have deployed as military personnel, contractors, Foreign Service officers, and others. I understand the pull toward service and the desire to do something meaningful. I've also experienced the horror, regret, and contradictions of feeling like we're doing far too much and yet nowhere near enough. I couldn't continue my career in operations analysis. I needed a change. 

So, in 2016, I began my mid-career transition into mental health counseling. I hold Master of Science degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Loyola University Maryland, and I'm a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Virginia. I'm certified in Eye-movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), an evidence-based therapy for PTSD. I initially became a counselor because I wanted to help veterans struggling with PTSD. 

In the past few years, I'm shifting my focus addressing both PTSD and moral injury. 

The Veterans Administration says moral injury can occur when someone takes part in, fails to prevent or witnesses an event that goes against their morals or values. Feelings of guilt, shame, anger, disgust, and betrayal are common in people with moral injuries. The more I've helped veterans, first responders, and others with PTSD, the more I'm seeing that the less visible moral injuries can have a greater impact than the more obvious PTSD-causing events.