My entire life has led me to this point where I can help you recover from your past  and move into a future that offers peace of mind, energy and happiness. I am  committed to helping people live their best life and I understand first-hand how life changing a counselor can be to guide people through the challenges they are facing  and that is why I have dedicated my career to helping students like you. 

My professional background is in Counselor Education. I am an experienced  professional school counselor who works with children, teens and adults. I have a  Master’s degree in Counselor Education as well as 30 hours of coursework in  Marriage and Family Therapy towards an additional Master’s degree.  

My personal background can give you insight into why I have chosen to help others  as my career. Since I will ask you personal questions, I’m willing to share my story  as the first step to our building a relationship built on trust and transparency.  

I grew up in a single family home after my parents divorced when I was three-years old. I lived with my mother, who was an elementary school teacher, and saw my  father two weekends a month. My mother raised me in the Hidden Valley  neighborhood of Charlotte which was a black middle-class community that is now  mostly known for gangs, drugs and guns.  

As a child, I did not realize that 2-parent homes existed until I became old enough to  have sleepovers with my friends. Although it was just my mom and I, my father was  very constant in my life. He would pick me up every other Friday for the weekend  and I would return home to my mother on Sunday evenings. He would take me on  summer trips to Myrtle Beach with my cousins, and surprise me with trips to places  like Disney and concerts out of town. I also had the support and love of my three grandparents. 

As much as my mom loved me, I’m sure she looked forward to those weekends that I  spent with my dad because that was her “break”. My mother made sure I made it to  my extracurricular activities through the years during the week, fed me and made  sure my homework was done. I took piano lessons from my grandmother,  participated in girl scouts and Miss Donna’s dance class.  

During my 15 years of living in Charlotte, my dad remarried four more times, with  my mother being his first wife. The marriages were horrible and I was mistreated by  most of my step-mothers. Some were jealous and wanted him to spend less time  with me. His fourth wife had children and I was excited to gain two sisters.  Unfortunately, I found out around the age of 7, that my older stepsister, was actually  my half-sister, and that the affair between her mother and my dad is what ended my  parents’ marriage. This marriage also dissipated and I had another stepmother within a couple of more years. 

At the age of 15, my mother found happiness and remarried. We relocated to  Greensboro, NC where I was in another blended family situation, this time with 2  stepbrothers, and a wonderful stepfather who loved me as his own. This marriage  dissolved after 14 years.  

As you can see, I have witnessed broken marriages, have been a part of blended  families, have been mistreated by stepmothers and have grown into a happy adult. I  am celebrating 25 years of marriage this year and am raising two beautiful and  strong children. I am still living off of the prayers of my grandmothers. 

I hope sharing my story helps you understand how I became committed to helping  others and why you should feel comfortable allowing me to be your partner in  education.