Hello, I’m Chris. I am a 1994 graduate of Wright State University where I earned a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. I have been working with children, adolescents, couples, individual adults, and families in the communities of both Huron and Lorain Counties. I have experience in working with the MR/DD population, and I have special training in the treatment of eating disorders.

I believe in a teamwork approach to therapy. I perceive each person to be the “expert” of his or her own experiences and emotions, and I seek to help clients make meaningful and healthy connections with those experiences. I enjoy working with adolescents, as I am constantly amazed by the creative ways that even the most troubled teen can use to overcome life difficulties.

I encourage clients to explore their lives from all angles, as I believe strongly that a person’s mental health is interconnected with his or her physical and spiritual health. Therefore, my approach in therapy often involves investigating the mind-body connection. I am aware that the “spiritual” aspect represents different things to different people. For this reason, I try not to push my spiritual values onto my clients, yet I seek to help clients to gain awareness of their own value system as it affects their lives and choices.

I thoroughly enjoy sports, particularly basketball. In 1988, I shared the title of “Miss Basketball” in Lorain County and I attended the University of Charleston in West Virginia on a full basketball scholarship. I’m proud to say that I was a part of successful teams that won conference titles and made it to the National Tournament’s “Sweet Sixteen” in three consecutive seasons.

In graduate school at Wright State University I worked as a personal assistant for students with physical disabilities. I was exposed to remarkable people managing their disabilities to achieve success, which shaped my belief in people and the ability to overcome major life difficulties.

I am truly a “Nature Nut”. I have an enduring love of nature and wildlife that is emphasized by the fact that my husband Chad and I were married at the Cleveland Zoo in 1996. I’ll admit it is an unusual location for a wedding, yet the choice certainly represents the passion that my husband and I continue to share. Chad and I have been volunteer peregrine falcon nest monitors for the Ohio Division of Wildlife since 1998. Through this work we have had the opportunity to get close to a bird of prey that was seriously endangered in the 70’s due to chemical pesticides and has continued to make a significant comeback through group efforts. This passion also speaks to my belief that people can and do work together to make differences on a small scale that can impact differences on a larger scale.