Biography

Since the time I was little, I’ve been told that I would make a great therapist. My Nana used to call me an old soul and was positive that I was her grandfather reincarnate. She would tell me things like, “You have the same understanding that Baba had of the world. You know how to listen to people and you always know just what to say to make someone feel better. ‘Judith Ann, you just gotta live and let live.’ That’s what he would always say to me and you’re just like him.”

While her words made me feel special, my lack of any real understanding of the skills or boundaries required to be an effective therapist left me in this tension, feeling so much care for people while also being crushed beneath the weight of it all. In other words, I knew I had an intuitive knack for caring for people and allowing them to feel understood and validated, but I ultimately had no desire to pursue becoming a therapist because it was just too much. After all, when I was young I most wanted to become a music composer to score films. A couple of decades later, I still made it behind the camera as a full-time videographer and I still compose music as a kind of therapeutic outlet.

Yet, in recent years I’ve participated in quite a few transformational leadership conferences and relational somatic seminars along with years of personal sessions with my own therapist, all of which rekindled my interest in the field of psychotherapy. Then a year ago to date, a major door closed on my life and it was as if the road to becoming a therapist was paved right before me. So here I am now, a student at USF in the process of learning what it actually means and takes to be “a great therapist.” I have to say, it has been an exhilarating yet challenging journey to discover the intersection where intuition and well-tested systems and structures converge, shaping and sharpening each other.

With expertise as a creative and ample experience in conflict resolution, I am eager to integrate creativity and empathy into the therapeutic space, recognizing the power of storytelling in fostering emotional connections. I am prepared and committed to approach counseling roles with professionalism and humility, dedicated to individual well-being.

Transferable Skills

As a creative professional, I've gained transferable skills that I believe will benefit both myself and my future clients as I shift careers. With over a decade of experience, I've provided comprehensive creative services across a variety of disciplines including Music Composition, Graphic Design, Photography, Videography, Social Media Marketing, Branding, and Creative Direction. Although seemingly disconnected from the field of therapy, these roles predominantly served clients in coaching, therapy, education, social justice advocacy, and other healing practices, which has allowed me to cultivate a rich network and a deep understanding of the nuanced needs within these sectors. Here is a list of transferable skills that stand out to me:

Effective Communication and Engagement

• Learned to adapt my communication style to meet the unique needs of various clients.

Organization and Optimization

• Ample experience managing multiple clients and projects simultaneously with efficiency.

Assessment and Progress Monitoring

• Tracking and setting goals through detailed note taking and regularly conducted meetings.

Standardization and Consistency

• Crafted multiple brands which translates to tailoring treatment plans specific to each client.

Technical Proficiency and Adaptability

• Staying up to date with the latest tech opens doors to serve clients in unprecedented ways.

Project Coordination with Teams

• Able to navigate complex goals and tasks in tandem with a team and/or under supervision.

Client-Centered Approach and Empathy

• Track record of supporting clients in reaching their goals via active listening and creativity.

Observation and Sensitivity

• Tuning into the nuance of a client’s nonverbal expression has played a vital role in my work.

Time Management and Self-Discipline

• Self-employment has taught me the value of taking full ownership of my schedule and duties.

Client Relationship Management and Service

• Building a strong bond of trust and rapport have been essential to delivering exceptional service.

Listener

I am trained to actively listen and respond with empathetic communication. I have also been trained to listen for signs of overwhelm in a person’s breathing, body posture, vocal tone, and eye contact to create a supportive and adaptable environment.

Initiative

I am unafraid and willing to step into “difficult conversations” and to receive feedback about my relational, emotional and cultural impact. I have also been proactive for as long as I can remember to take myself on to understand and adjust my motivations, beliefs, and attitudes.

Seeker

Whether in matters of faith, education, history, adventure, or self, I’ve always been one who seeks. What am I seeking? Well, the answer to that question is part of the search. Those who seek don’t always have a clear picture of what is being searched for. The saunter is on. 

Training Experiences

Relational Somatics Seminar - Thrive Today

Delved into the intricate interplay between bodily sensations, emotions, and relational dynamics. Through practical exercises and discussions, we explored attunement to ourselves and others, managing overwhelm, and cultivating joy and rest.

• Approximately 60 hours of training

Transformational Trainings - Gap Community

Accelerated bootcamp for leadership and vision, revealing blind spots through interpersonal feedback. Consisted of large-group exercises developed from an integrative approach, drawing primarily from Gestalt, Jung, CBT, post-modern modalities, and more.

• Approximately 300 hours of training.

Long-term Interests

populations

• LGBTQIA2S+

• People Impacted by Trauma

• Intimate Partners, Couples, and Poly

• Students K-12

• College Students

• Older Persons

Existential

Existentialism is fundamental to my life as I firmly believe that life should not be pathologized. I view humans as inherently human, and everything that happens to us, including suffering, is part of the meaningful moments we choose to create and experience while we have breath in our lungs. I envision exploring vision with my future clients. What do they aspire to stand for? For what unique purpose are they here on this earth at this time to usher forth?

Narrative

A close friend often says, 'If you can see it, you can shift it.' I intend to leverage narrative therapy to guide clients in exploring their stories. Whether it's their lived experiences, the narratives they internalize, or the stories they've embraced, understanding their belief systems will empower them to make new choices. Given my background, I'm especially drawn to working with LGBTQIAS2+ individuals using this approach.

Solution-Focused

I love the idea of emphasizing what works rather than what doesn’t. Clients can spend years, if not decades, in therapy focusing on challenges and areas of their lives they wish to change. Solution-focused therapy offers a faster-paced therapeutic approach, where the therapist partners with the client rather than assuming an expert role. This approach not only aligns with my ethical beliefs but also reflects the type of therapy I aim to provide.