I'm an interdisciplinary artist and art therapist. I provide trauma-informed art therapy to youth in the public schools and I offer individual and group art therapy to adults in a studio setting. My focus is on empowering individuals and communities affected by trauma. My artwork explores the intersection of relational art, social practice, and art therapy. It’s about place and connection to people and objects, informed by my work building relationships, my upbringing in Milwaukee, and experiences living in various US cities, including New York, Santa Fe, and Los Angeles.

While I do not identify with all these labels, they help orient to my practice. I am a white, cis, middle-class, able-bodied, woman, partner, and mother of two with Irish and other Northern European ancestry. I hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture from the College of Santa Fe and a Masters of Science in Art Therapy and Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Mount Mary University. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (8656-126) in Wisconsin and a Registered Art Therapist (ATCB 19-454).

I believe positive, supportive relationships are the most valuable resource for mental health and wellbeing- that we heal in context of our relationships. The therapeutic relationship should be a collaborative alliance that helps facilitate growth and lasting change. I specialize in trauma processing through art therapy approaches. Art making connects with non-verbal areas of the brain that store fear-based sensory experiences, or traumas, where our language centers are blocked. Art therapy approaches utilize other tools of communication, including movement, guided visualizations, and exploring new art materials. You do not need to be an artist to try art therapy.

Engaging in the healing benefits of art-making with people from all backgrounds has brought depth and breadth to my identity as a relational artist. Many contemporary artists work in a social practice with a mutual community involvement. I see my unique training as both an artist and art therapist as aligned with this participatory artistic perspective. I am curious about how community-based art projects can cultivate a culture of healing, hope, and resilience. How do you make art about pain without causing more pain? You make it with others, sharing stories, building relationships and connections.