Meet Your Trauma-Informed Psychotherapist Your Mental Health Matters
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The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.
- Carl Jung
Psychodynamic & Narrative Therapy with a Holistic Lens
I created Refuge Psychotherapy to provide compassionate, evidence-based mental health care that honors the whole person - mind, body, and spirit. My mission is to offer a therapeutic sanctuary where you can find safety, support, and skilled guidance as you navigate life's challenges and pursue deeper self-understanding.
I am committed to meeting each person with genuine regard, clinical excellence, and the belief that healing happens within an authentic relationship. Through integrating depth-oriented approaches with contemporary psychiatric practice, I support you in not only addressing symptoms but in uncovering your inner wisdom, reclaiming lost parts of yourself, and living with greater authenticity and meaning.
At Refuge Psychotherapy, I believe that everyone deserves access to mental health care that respects their unique journey, honors their innate capacity for growth, and walks alongside them as a trusted companion rather than a distant expert. My work is grounded in the conviction that when people feel truly seen and supported, transformation becomes possible.
Refuge Psychotherapy’s Mission
My Values
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I believe that healing begins with being truly seen and heard. I bring my full presence to our work together, offering a non-judgmental space where you can explore your inner world with safety and trust.
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I am committed to providing the highest quality of care, grounded in evidence-based practices and informed by ongoing learning. My dual board certifications and doctoral training ensure that you receive both clinical expertise and depth-oriented understanding.
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You are more than your diagnosis or symptoms. I approach our work with attention to your psychological, relational, physical, and spiritual dimensions - recognizing that true healing addresses the entirety of your human experience.
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I believe that the relationship we build together is itself transformative. I position myself as a fellow sojourner rather than a distant expert, creating a collaborative partnership where your voice and wisdom are central to the healing process.
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There is no single path to healing. I honor your individual story, your pace, your cultural context, and your innate capacity for growth. I trust that your psyche knows what needs attention, and I follow where you lead.
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I bring my genuine self to our work - professionally grounded yet warmly human. I practice with honesty, transparency, and a commitment to ethical care that puts your wellbeing first.
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I strive to create a practice where all people feel welcome and valued, regardless of background, identity, or circumstance. Mental health care should be a right, not a privilege, and I work to make Refuge as accessible as possible.
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I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being.
- Hafiz
Why I Created Refuge Psychotherapy
A Turning Point That Changed My Life
There was a time in my own life when I carried the weight of pain that felt too heavy to bear alone. I found my way to a therapist who offered me something I hadn't known I desperately needed, a safe, compassionate space where I could bring all of myself without fear of judgment. That experience changed the trajectory of my life. It showed me what becomes possible when we're truly seen and held in our struggle, when someone walks alongside us with both skill and heart. That experience lives at the center of why Refuge Psychotherapy exists.
Creating a Sanctuary for Whole-Person Healing
Over two decades of nursing - in crisis stabilization units, community mental health centers, and countless other settings where people arrive at their most vulnerable - I witnessed both the power of genuine therapeutic presence and the gap that often exists in mental healthcare. I saw how healing requires more than clinical precision, though that matters deeply. It requires honoring the whole person - the psychological, the relational, the soulful dimensions of our human experience.
My doctoral work in depth psychology deepened this conviction. I came to understand that we each carry an inner wisdom, even in our darkest moments, and that the therapeutic relationship itself becomes a container where that wisdom can emerge and guide us forward.
I wanted to create a space that honored both the rigor of evidence-based practice and the sacred work of soul-tending - a place where people wouldn't have to choose between clinical excellence and compassionate witness.
Refuge Psychotherapy is the practice I wish had existed when I needed it most. It's built on the belief that every person deserves to be met with genuine regard, to have their pain taken seriously, and to be supported as they find their way back to themselves. The name itself reflects what I hope to offer: a sanctuary from the noise and demands of the world, a place where you can rest, explore, and remember who you truly are. I hope that Refuge Psychotherapy becomes for you what therapy once was for me - a turning point, a place of genuine connection, and a space where transformation becomes possible.
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You are imperfect, you are wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.
- Brene Brown
Outside the Office
You'll find me spending time with my family and our three dogs - two golden retrievers and a dappled miniature dachshund who keep life joyful and grounding. I'm happiest with a good book in hand or walking through the woods near our home in Watkinsville. Nature has always been a teacher and refuge for me, reminding me of the organic rhythms of growth, dormancy, and renewal that mirror our own inner lives.
These simple practices of presence - whether sitting quietly with a cup of tea and a book, or watching the light filter through the trees - nourish the same groundedness I hope to bring to our work together.