Methods

I have been a dancer my whole life. This certainly catapulted my interest in dance and movement as a healing modality yet I never could have imagined how important and accessible this modality could be to those experiencing mental health challenges. I received my Bachelors of Science in Dance with a minor in Biology at Western Oregon University. My senior project was researching and presenting the effectiveness of Dance in Prison to reduce recidivism and increase well-being and positive outcomes. Directly after graduating, I enrolled in the three year Masters program at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where I studied Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Dance/Movement Therapy under their Expressive Arts Therapy Program. My capstone thesis was centered around the use of Dance/Movement Therapy to reduce burnout in health professionals and was published. During my two internships, I worked as a therapy intern at Catholic Community Services for over a year where I served individuals of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds. I also volunteered my time to provide movement groups and yoga to the families at Church at the Park in Salem, Oregon. I interned and worked at Options Counseling and Family Services. I then went on to work for Trillium Family Services as a Child and Family Therapist at several K-12 schools, gaining invaluable knowledge on family and social systems. I currently have a small private practice in Silverton, Oregon and continue to seek out opportunities to learn and engage in the arts, mental health education, workshops, continuing education, supervision, etc.