Gifted: a word describing a consciousness that is intense, qualitatively different from the norm, outlying, asynchronous in its development, multifaceted, multidimensional.

I see this in my life: In photos of me smiling ear to ear like I am about to gnaw at life itself. An impatience with surface conversation. In intense imaginings and sensory experiences. In perceiving meaning everywhere and in wanting others’ expressions to accurately describe their experiences. In longing for peers. In others’ responses to what I’m doing. “How do you do so much?” In my drive, productivity, and desire for intensity that will match my own.

I want to utilize these characteristics to connect with gifted people and aid you in becoming more fully yourself. You will always be the expert on your own life, and when we work together I will bring over twenty years of counseling experience to a collaborative process of discovery, creativity, and movement.

You can come unstuck, even if you feel like you’ve tried everything or that your problem is too big to handle. You will move through a process of connecting, gaining awareness, figuring out where you want your life to go, and then getting there. I’ve learned what works, and people have grown immeasurably through our work together.

If counseling or coaching is going to be helpful, feeling understood is the most important element. That means having a counselor or coach who knows how to join you where you are, understand the gravity of your situation, and laugh when it’s funny.

If you’ve had your fill of counseling and coaching, or you don’t have an appetite for either, then improv may be the avenue for you. Through game play in a culture of ‘Yes, and’, gifted people find themselves transcending perfectionism, subverting social anxiety, gaining self-trust, and simply laughing together without masks or camouflage. It’s an astonishing and hilarious path to self-development.

Raised in the suburban wilds of central Florida, my service ethic led me from Warren Wilson College (English major, Appalachian Studies minor) to two years of community reconciliation work in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

From there I continued a trajectory toward a career in service. In 2001, I graduated from Western Carolina University with a degree in Community Counseling, and I’ve been a practicing counselor ever since. Since 2016, my entire practice has been focused exclusively on work with gifted adolescents and adults.

In addition to working with clients, I also served for eight years as an elected official on the City Council of Asheville, North Carolina while also serving on numerous other boards in the community.

When COVID hit, I researched ways to build intimacy online in effective ways and stumbled into improv comedy. Through working with instructors at Second City Comedy and the Improv Therapy Group, I have come to understand the power of it, especially for gifted people. Now, I’m an instructor, player, and Improv Therapy Group Advisory Board Member, ‘Yes, and-ing’ my way to greater spontaneity, community, and ease.

I live in the Blue Ridge mountains in Asheville, North Carolina. When I’m not working with clients or playing improv games, I play chess and disc golf. I write poetry and throw parties. I plant gardens and will soon get my welding certificate. Life is a banquet, and I am grateful to have a seat at the table and place in the kitchen.