“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
— Oscar Wilde

Marina in her natural habitat

Hi There!

This is about me as a human. If you want to know all the professional stuff, please see the Couples Therapy, Discernment Counseling, Individual Therapy, or Family Therapy pages

First off, I’m kind of a dork. I clap when clients say something funny. I drop things, often. Sometimes I run into the door jamb - because that sucker is tricky.

I was raised by two English teachers, so I’m also kind of a nerd. I like science and true crime podcasts. Cuz the world is weird and people are messy, and I’m here for it.

I’ve lived in 4 countries (US, Mexico, England, and Scotland). If you are thinking, “England and Scotland are the same country, right?” well, legally, yes. But culturally…not even a little.

My personality is pretty bold. I’ll say the thing everyone is thinking but nobody will say. This trait can be fun but not all employers love it.

I swear sometimes, and it’s totally fine if you want to swear, too.

I moved to Colorado in 1999, which ended my nomadic life. I fell in love with the state. So yeah, I do a lot of the things: hike, snowshoe, enjoy the scenery. I do not ski, because I don’t like lines or physical danger or high speeds.

I have a husband and a cat, and I really like both of them.

Feel free to ask me any questions. I’m pretty open about who I am, and you should feel comfortable knowing your therapist is a person first.

Marina being funny

Marina being funny

Why I love what I do

I knew from the start I wanted to work with couples, families, and individuals.

What I didn’t realize was that I would fall in love with working with couples.

There are so many reasons I love this work - I’ll just list a few

  • Almost everyone who has a person really loves their person, even if they behave badly

  • I get to watch couples heal from infidelity and come back stronger than before - that’s so profound

  • Being with people in real time as they learn a new skill, practice it with each other, then immediately see how much better their partner reacts

  • Helping couples have more joy and connection, with less damaging conflict

  • Helping individuals, such as

    • Finally telling their mother “no” to an unreasonable request

    • Being able to stop taking things so personally

    • Knowing you’re good enough - in your heart, not just your head

  • Sometimes, it’s hella funny. Yep, sometimes we laugh

So if you’re ready to learn more about what I do, head over to the Couples Therapy, Discernment Counseling, Individual Therapy, or Family Therapy pages

If you want to set up a time to talk with me over video about how I can help, here’s the Contact page