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 located in Silverton, Oregon where I serve individuals in the Willamette Valley in person, as well as telehealth. Continuing to seek out opportunities to learn and engage in the arts, mental health education, workshops, continuing education, supervision, etc. is important to me and required by the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists (OBLPCT) and the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA).