From 2018 to 2024, I worked as an Associate Art Therapist in private practice, starting part-time and eventually moving to full-time after leaving FBCH. My work focused on support for substance users, teachers, and fellow therapists, in addition to emotional support throughout quarantine and the pandemic of 2020. My time at this group practice helped me develop my current therapeutic approach, supervision style, and laid the foundation for what would become Curious Space Therapy.

From 2016-2021, I was an art therapist at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, where I worked with the multidisciplinary team at the Residential Treatment Facility for active-duty service members with substance use problems. I facilitated art therapy groups, engaged in clinical rounds with the staff, and helped connect patients to community supports.

I supervised graduate-level art therapy interns from The George Washington University, providing them with hands-on learning opportunities to facilitate art therapy groups, administer art therapy assessments, develop art therapy curriculum and interventions, and present case material to the multidisciplinary team.

After graduating from GW, my first professional clinical role was in residential eating disorder treatment for adolescents in Fairfax, VA. My work included running therapeutic and psychoeducational groups, providing ERP support at meals, and supervising client outings. I also held a role as facility administrator, assisting with intake processes, auditing patient charts, and managing daily operations at the residential facility.

In 2013 I completed my Master of Arts in Art Therapy and Counseling from The George Washington University. While at GW, I was an intern at Thrive DC, a homeless outreach program in Northwest DC, and at Fairfax County Public Schools working with kids in non-traditional classrooms. I was a student intern at the GW Art Therapy Clinic during my second year. My favorite educational experiences at GW were in substance use treatment, group process, and in practicum. I loved the experiential component of classes and getting to take that new learning right to my internship sites.

Before starting graduate school I spent two years (2009-2011) as an AmeriCorps volunteer in my home state of Tennessee working at a children’s science and discovery museum. My role was as Outreach Coordinator providing programming in the community, in classrooms, and attending regional events to promote the museum. I loved sharing the museum’s resources - especially when I got to introduce kids to our leopard gecko and the hissing cockroaches!

During the summer of 2009 I worked as a visual arts counselor at Middle Tennessee State University, a program for high school juniors and seniors who applied and were selected to participate in specialized arts education. My role was to support the painting classes during the academic day, chaperone on- and off-campus visual and performing arts events, and support students as a resident advisor in the dorms.

I graduated in 2009 from Converse College with a Bachelor of Arts, double majoring in Art Therapy and Art History. While there, I studied under Gretchen (Geri) Hurlbut, ATR-BC, and was an intern at Spartanburg Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission.

I was heavily involved in student life at Converse, participating in the Converse College Institute for Leadership, Mortar Board National College Senior Honors Society, Alpha Lambda Delta Honors Society, and served as class treasurer for 3 years.