Welcome Here

I grew up on the prairies and this is where I had my first two jobs. On our family farm we had to wake up early to brave the mosquitoes instead of the heat and walk a huge field identifying and digging weeds out. The other job I had was lifeguarding at the local pool where I taught lessons, coached swimming, and had the not so glamorous job of scrubbing the deck, the pool, the showers, and the toilets.

Living and working by a lake was my life for a while. I was disconnected from cell service and my evenings involved kayaking or watching movies from the Walmart sale bin. I have also worked as a youth and family director, supported employment skill development for a Federal government program and local non-profit, supported people with acute mental illness, provided family counselling to parents and children 0-5 years old, was in an instructional/supervisory role for Masters level counselling students, and have worked within a University as a counsellor for the student body.

My counselling practicum had opened a door to the world of trauma and grief work. This laid the ground work for who I wanted to become as a therapist and has stuck with me.

In 2018 I had a desire to grow something that could be a reflection of myself as a counsellor and that I could be truly passionate about. This is when Wild Path Counselling was born. It has offered me the opportunity to truly grow and be creative in who I am as a therapist.

Before the birth of my first child I had started to expand my experience and education in the area of perinatal therapy. The birth of my first child brought with it birth trauma and a NICU stay. The medical providers probably had no idea I had birth trauma, but I realized I did. So how did I know? Well, my body went into a state of freeze that I later identified and I was having memories and images “flashback” that played non-stop. There were also lots of tears, anxiety, rage, intrusive thoughts and triggers that were there.

This led me into my own therapy as a client that helped begin the healing. It also began the process of me chipping away at the Certification in Perinatal Mental Health through Postpartum Support International. I wanted to further educate myself for my own information, as well as be more equipped to help clients through this. The pregnancy with my second child involved a good deal of fear that encouraged more research into birth trauma, a change of providers, and had a big impact on me personally and professionally in a positive way. It now strongly informs me as a therapist and how I can best support clients like you through the perinatal period.

As a mom, I see you. I see the tears, the rage, the intrusive thoughts, the exhaustion, the desire for escape, the loss of identity, the grief, the questioning, the pain, the struggle; because I’ve been there too. Some days you feel like you are going crazy or wondering when you will ever feel like yourself again. You are in the right place. I have not lived your experience. However, I lived a version of it and as a result have sought out further training, education, research, and experience so that I can be with you and beside you in your experience.

Whether you have found me to address trauma, grief, perinatal & reproductive mental health, or parenting, know that I am truly passionate about it all. You should see my two massive bookshelves and the long list of trainings to take next. I love what I do. I want to provide you with therapy that is tailored to you and supportive of your needs. Your therapy will include up to date research on what works, but also come from a genuine place of wanting to support you with a compassionate and empathetic approach.

A Few Random Things About Me

• My morning coffee is something I think about the night before. I have multiple ways to make a coffee in my house and it is a ritual I enjoy.

• I have lived off of tuna and rice cakes backpacking in Australia and stood on top of an active volcano in Vanuatu watching the lava explode.

• My love for the mountains and outdoors runs deep. I have done multi-day ski, bike, canoe, and backpacking trips. Doing this with others make these trips even sweeter.

• Baking and cooking are stress releases for me and I love to try something new or make family recipes that have been passed down. My husband is now my co-baker each year when we make our Norwegian family recipe of lefse.

• I have a husband and two boys who I deeply love and cherish. We love adventuring together and are now embracing the ways in which it has changed how we experience the outdoors through our kids eyes.

If this has you intrigued read more below about my qualifications, click to learn more about the therapy I offer, or head on over to book your free consultation now!