About
I help women with every relationship that matters most to them.
In a world of confusing messages, I am bridging the gap between biblical truth, clinical research, and trauma-informed relational wisdom, so you can learn how to be loved and love well.
I hope you’ll stay awhile. I think you’ll find something just for you!
For more than twenty-five years, I've had the honor of sitting with thousands of people in some of the most tender places of their lives. I have seen a lot of pain and suffering, and I've also seen incredible resilience and hope. That's why I spend my days helping people build healthy relationships with God, themselves, and others.
My path here hasn't been a straight line. I've always had a pioneering spirit, and my story has taken me from human resources to counseling in the county jail, and from youth ministry at a multicultural urban church to serving as the first Wholeness Director at a larger church just outside Portland, Oregon. Along the way, I've taught graduate courses and supervised and trained many counselors and pastors.
My foundation has always been both theological and clinical. At Seattle Pacific University, I earned a B.A. in Educational Ministries, studying Bible and theology, alongside a B.A. in Psychology. I went on to earn my master's in Marriage and Family Therapy from George Fox University. Some of my biggest influences include Mother Teresa, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, C.S. Lewis, Henri Nouwen, and Dr. Daniel Siegel. Along the way, I've discovered that one of my gifts is taking the complexities of life and translating them into practical steps, so anyone can experience more wholeness.
In my twenty years of counseling, I've walked with Christian leaders through burnout, sexual addiction and betrayal, childhood sexual abuse, anxiety, depression, and eating disorders, as well as worked with children and families through play and family therapy. In recent years, I've spent more of my time doing executive coaching for female leaders in our Wholehearted Leadership Cohorts and consulting with churches and non-profits. I've also had the joy of serving as a spokesperson for Christian Parenting, being interviewed for Christianity Today, and teaching at gatherings like the American Association of Christian Counselors World Conference.
In 2011, my husband, Jeff, and I co-founded Living Wholehearted, a professional counseling, leadership development, and organizational firm, and Courageous Girls, a nonprofit helping moms raise resilient and confident daughters. Most recently, I stepped into the role of Courageous Girls' first CEO as I continue to podcast, write books, and coach female leaders.
Wherever you are in your story, my hope is that I can be a resource for you to experience the fullness of all your relationships, from your relationship with God to the one you have with yourself and the people you love most. I’m glad you are here!
Meet My Husband, Jeff
Jeff and I met when I was a freshman at Seattle Pacific University in 1998. We quickly became sweethearts and knew that God had something more than a romantic relationship for us.
Years later we discovered our calling to help leaders live and lead with integrity - learning to live from the inside out - rather than performance-based lives that leave us hollow and negatively impact the people we care about.
As leaders ourselves, we worked in full-time ministry in local churches, non-profits, and businesses before starting our two ventures.
We are both firstborn children with strong opinions, so we have worked hard on our marriage, understanding our stories, discovering our innate wiring, and learning how to be healthier teammates. We have been together a little over twenty-five years and are off to a good start. You can hear more of our story in episodes 65 & 66 of the Living Wholehearted Podcast or read our co-authored book, Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live.
Meet Our Girls
Adonia (Ad-o-ny-ah) and Nevaeh (Ne-vay-ah) are the original inspiration for the global movement, Courageous Girls and my very first book, Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace.
When I held Adonia in my arms, early in my career as a Marriage and Family Therapist, I was working with children, teens, and couples who loved Jesus but were entangled in the lies of their story. Trauma. Abuse. Betrayal. Addictions. I worked with people who were doing amazing things for Jesus, all while hiding a divided life and struggling with their humanity. I knew that raising girls in a world of confusing messages was not easy, and just because I spent a crazy amount of money in grad school to become a trained therapist, I was surely not exempt from the common struggles.
Two things I learned from my clients:
We can't do this life alone.
Our kids must see our humanity and how God meets us right where we are.
I didn't want to raise compartmentalized "good little girls" who were tempted to hide and wear masks to please God and others. I wanted to raise courageous women who deeply knew they were loved from the very core of their being, could withstand any storm that blew their way, and knew how to love others well, all because of the God they trusted.
Today, Adonia and Nevaeh are beautiful young adults. Jeff and I live on five acres outside Portland, Oregon, with chickens, a golden retriever named Chief, and a few visiting deer. We all love to hike, fly fish, camp, paddleboard, and explore the great Pacific Northwest. I am a sucker for historical fiction and the girls and I love a good thrifting day. And I confess, I still read them my favorite children's book, You Are Special by Max Lucado, whenever possible.