(he/him/his)
Master of Mental Health Counseling Candidate, Adams State University
Living life with authenticity and honesty has always been a core value. And doing so in a manner that builds connections with others is one of life’s greatest joys. Looking into the world in pursuit of understanding what is underneath has been a passion that has taken me on quite a few transformative journeys that, humbling as they were, have shown me the strength, resiliency, and beauty of the human spirit. I rarely cease to be awed by the connections that are forged between the heart, mind, and body.
In my former life, I worked as a collaborative master lithographer for 15 years, creating new artworks in the print mediums with contemporary artists across the nation. The act of collaboration was one that taught me many lessons about deep listening, remaining open to possibility, and the true magic of the unexpected when two people meet with sincerity and intention. Undoubtedly, I bring this love of collaboration forward into my counseling practice, which I see as a new expression of this craft. Similarly, I bring a long and practiced love for meditation and mindfulness practices into this internship, along with body (somatic) centered practices.
At present I love pointless adventures, just for the sake of the act itself. These take me on long, hard swims in cold mountain water or hopelessly lost rambles. No matter. The journey is the joy. I believe that our personal journeys of healing, transformation, or even clarity are important not only to ourselves on a personal level, but are an honest gift to those around us and our communities. To learn to live with a sense of honesty, joy, and freedom of expression in self requires work, resilience, the support of others, humor, curiosity, and sometimes a great dose of humbleness. And it is my daily inspiration to try and bring these qualities forward.