About

My experience in the mental health arena extends beyond 20 years, fourteen of which have been with the Department of Veterans Affairs as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Areas of specialty include equine-assisted psychotherapy, trauma and PTSD (individual and group interventions), geriatrics and extended care, and grief/bereavement intervention. I am a Board Certified Diplomate and have certifications in the following areas: EAGALA Certified Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy, Practical Application of Intimate Relationship Skills (PAIRS) Instructor (aka) "Warrior to Soulmate" Enrichment Instructor/Coach, Advanced Certified Hospice-Palliative Care Social Work credential, ELNEC (End-of-Life) Trainer (staff coaching/instructor), AFA Qualified Dementia Care Provider (QDCP), Certified Co-Occurring Disorders Professional Diplomate (CCDP-D), Certification in Prevention & Management of Disruptive Behavior (Levels I, II & III), Cognitive Processing Therapy Provider. I am also the owner and co-founder of Warriors Wellness & Recovery Ranch, Inc - a 501C3 nonprofit serving Veterans, First Responders, Active Military, and their family members who have been impacted by trauma. Distinguished honors include: being selected among 1500+ employees as Carl Vinson VA Medical Center's Clinical Employee of the Quarter in 2017, recipient of the "Award for Student Excellence" in 2007 (nominated by the faculty, staff, and graduate peers of Valdosta State University), member - Alpha Delta Mu National Social Work Society, member - Phi Alpha National Social Work Honor Society, Manchester Who's Who Among Executive & Professional Women, and designated as one of three Recovery Coordinators in the nation for "best practice" strategies for a national re-engagement initiative focused on outreaching to Veterans with a serious mental illness who have been lost to care for over one year. My hobbies include attending ballgames and sporting events, spending time with family and friends, "retail therapy