About Serenity Wellness and Counseling Center

Long before becoming a therapist, I understood what it meant to live through experiences that could shape the way a person sees themselves, other people, and the world. 

My early life included trauma, instability, and exposure to difficult family circumstances. Those experiences affected me deeply, but they also created an awareness of how much people can carry beneath the surface. As a teenager and young adult, I often became the person friends trusted when they were struggling. I cared deeply about helping people feel less alone and making sure they had someone willing to listen. 

I initially pursued work in business and law, but I felt disconnected from a deeper sense of purpose. After traveling overseas and later experiencing the suicide loss of someone close to my family, I began to recognize more clearly that my life needed to move in a different direction. 

That direction first led me into education and a behavioral program supporting teenagers with complex emotional and behavioral needs. I discovered that I could connect with young people who often felt misunderstood or overlooked. I became an advocate for them and learned how powerful it can be when someone feels genuinely seen rather than judged by their behavior. 

My path eventually led me to counseling and the creation of Serenity Wellness and Counseling Center. In the beginning, I primarily offered traditional therapy. As I continued learning and working with clients, I became increasingly aware that insight and talk therapy alone were not always enough. Some clients understood their patterns intellectually but continued to experience the same emotional, physical, or relational responses. 

I began pursuing additional training in trauma care, EMDR, neurobiology, neurofeedback, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, psychedelic-assisted therapy, and other approaches that considered the connection between the mind and body. 

My own healing experiences also influenced the kind of practice I wanted to build. Through therapy, personal reflection, integrative practices, and experiences that allowed me to connect more deeply with myself, nature, and my own inner wisdom, I came to understand the difference between knowing something intellectually and experiencing healing in a more embodied way. 

Some of the most meaningful parts of my healing occurred individually, while others unfolded alongside Bryan as we learned to become more honest, present, and connected with ourselves and one another. These experiences reinforced my belief that healing is not about being given all the right answers. It is about having the safety, support, and space needed to listen inward, explore what has been carried, and allow new understanding to emerge. 

Serenity grew from the belief that people deserve options. They deserve to be treated as individuals and to have care that considers their story, nervous system, relationships, physical well-being, values, and personal beliefs.

Today, my purpose remains rooted in helping people recognize that they are more than what has happened to them. Healing is rarely linear, and no provider has every answer. But when people feel safe, supported, and empowered to participate in their care, new possibilities can begin to emerge.