As a Provisional Licensed Counselor, my goal is to help others navigate difficult times and empower them to find resilience and healing in the midst of adversity.
My introduction to trauma came at age twelve, which was when I discovered my mother had cancer. She underwent surgery immediately, and seeing her in a hospital bed, I was consumed by the fear that I might lose her. For two decades, my mother bravely fought her illness, but eventually, cancer claimed her life. Her passing devastated me, and I struggled to get through each day, feeling as though I was only existing rather than truly living.
During this period of intense grief, my husband and I were faced with our own challenges. We struggled with infertility, and then my husband received a terminal diagnosis. In a desperate bid to secure insurance for us, I enlisted in the military. Around that time, I finally became pregnant, but at four months, I suffered a traumatic miscarriage which nearly took my life. The pain drove me into another deep depression, but I tried to suppress my emotions so I could care for my husband as he battled his illness.
My husband fought bravely for sixteen years before passing away in 2020, just as the world was reeling from the onset of COVID-19. The pandemic meant I mourned his loss in isolation, separated from friends and family, with only virtual connections through Facebook and Messenger to lean on. Shortly after, I was deployed and spent sixty-five days in quarantine. The isolation was overwhelming.
Yet, during my deployment, I experienced unexpected moments of friendship and healing. These connections gradually helped me emerge from my darkness and changed my outlook on life. When I returned home, I felt inspired to help others who were suffering. I enrolled in an MS Clinical Mental Health program with the hope of guiding others through their pain and helping them find their own path to healing.