I was inspired to study psychiatry through family and lived experience. Many members of my extended family have navigated life with mental health challenges ranging from mild anxiety to debilitating depression, substance use disorder, OCD, and schizophrenia. During Covid, someone I am close to experienced a mental health crisis so severe it required hospitalization twice in the same year. I didn’t understand what was happening in their brain or how to help. I learned a tremendous amount during that time and experienced the challenge of finding care providers who truly listened. I decided to pursue additional nursing training in psychiatry.

Outside of my practice, I am a mom of three kids and one dog named Rudy. I love being outside, cooking, and spending time with friends and family. I travel whenever I can to experience new things and broaden my perspective. The time I spent growing up in the mountains and living in the northwest have deepened my respect for nature and nature's medicine. I have a daily-ish meditation practice and a daily-ish journal practice, both of which help me gently work on my consistency and self-awareness.