About Me

I didn’t grow up with privilege. My early years taught me about scarcity, resilience, and the quiet sacrifices families make when survival comes first. Those experiences shaped my understanding of pain and perseverance — long before I ever stepped into the role of therapist.

Three days after graduating high school, I shipped off to Navy boot camp. The contract had already been signed; my path was set. I spent nearly nine years in uniform, deploying three times to combat zones in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Like many others, I was told to bury what I carried and stay mission-ready. But that silence only deepened my resolve to lean into the work of healing.

In 2005, I was selected for the Navy Drug and Alcohol Counselor School (NDACS), a program known for its intensity and high attrition rate. That selection marked the beginning of my path in behavioral health and addiction counseling. Over the years, I’ve facilitated outpatient and residential groups, trained incoming counselors, and worked under the Department of the Navy’s Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED). My training includes advanced work in co-occurring disorders, trauma, and addiction recovery.

Academically, I hold a Master’s in Social Work (MSW) and am licensed as a Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). I am also a Board Certified Diplomate (BCD) and a Master Addiction Counselor (MAC). In addition, I’m trained in EMDR. More importantly, I’ve spent nearly two decades refining an approach that doesn’t just follow the manual — it meets people where they are, in the real struggles of life.

At Alchemy Soul Counseling, I don’t offer surface-level fixes or easy affirmations. I offer depth: trauma-informed care, evidence-based practices, and lived experience. My work has evolved into what I call the Solvantra Method® — a synthesis of research, training, and hard-earned wisdom.

Degrees matter. But they don’t replace presence. You don’t need someone who just studied the fire — you need someone who’s walked through it and knows how to guide you back out.

This isn’t textbook therapy. This is soul work.