I was raised in the sunny desert of Mesa, Arizona, and life has since taken me to Kansas and even all the way to New Zealand—each place adding its own layer to my story. I'm blessed to be married and a proud mom of six incredible kids who keep life full of laughter and learning. I earned my undergraduate degree from Liberty University and completed graduate school at Ottawa University. I earned my PhD in Social Psychology through Walden University, driven by a deep passion for understanding human connection and healing. I am an author of Breaking Free from the Shame of Addiction, and other books.

Since 2015, I’ve worked in the mental health field, and today I work in the field of addiction and serve as a counselor in beautiful Colorado.