Growing up in a rural area of Colorado, I very early on felt the impact of financial disparities on children and families. Over the course of my career I have worked hard to find the best way to have a lasting impact on the children and families in our communities. I began my career working in pre-schools, and my love for the growing minds of children flourished. Soon I was working on research teams and in labs to develop socio-emotional and mindfulness curriculums that promoted healthy development in children. In hopes of a graduate degree, I then branched out into clinical work with children and families and that has been my work for the last 4 years. I was fortunate enough to obtain my Bachelors of Science in Human Development and Family Studies with concentrations in Prevention and Intervention Science and Early Childhood Professions, and thereafter completed my Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I am a psychotherapist here in Homer working with different organizations to provide quality care and opportunities for growth to people of all ages.