Prior to entering the profession of counseling, I had a wide variety of experiences in my personal and professional life.

Early in my life, I suffered severe trauma when my face, torso, and upper arms were burned. I learned several important life lessons from this experience. I learned how to deal with adversity and gained an appreciation for the uniqueness of each person, and how the same event can impact people in different ways. I learned how fragile, and yet resilient, people are. I also learned that difficult circumstances and events happen in everyone’s life: what we do from there makes all the difference. Sometimes we can handle these issues on our own, and sometimes we need help.

One of my degrees is in pharmacy, and early in my career I owned and managed my own pharmacy. I later went to work for a pharmaceutical company where I held various positions: my last one as a national sales director for the sales of products to treat HIV. From owning my own pharmacy and being in the corporate world I know how to be successful, and the stress and problems that can come with it.

I started work on my MA degree in counseling during my last several years in the pharmaceutical industry. I knew I wanted to work closely with people and assist them in achieving their personal goals. Although I was doing this to quite an extent in my corporate life, I wanted to turn all of my focus toward helping others achieve their goals.

If you are wondering if I have ever found it beneficial to have counseling, the answer is YES! I have benefited from individual and couples counseling, and know the benefits that counseling can bring.