About Me

My first career was in the military, retiring after 21 years in the United States Air Force.  My USAF travels brought me all around the world and I loved meeting people, experiencing different cultures, and especially eating the food. 
While on active duty I studied psychology, earning a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology from St. Leo College and a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology (MSCP) from Chaminade University of Honolulu.  I also met and married the love of my life, my late husband, Steve.  We were married for 38 before years before the good Lord called him after a long battle with cancer. 
After retiring, I worked in private practice and taught undergraduate psychology, as an adjunct faculty member, at Troy University for 19 years.  I also spent a few years helping children and families in foster care until we opened Crossroads Counseling Center where I provided mental health counseling first in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Cullman, Alabama and finally Buckeye, Arizona.  Somehow, I also managed to go back to graduate school and earn a Doctor of Education (EdD) from the University of West Florida.  But it was at Crossroads where the direction of my work changed.  My dear friend’s daughter needed treatment for anorexia nervosa and there were no resources nearby.  Even though ethically, I couldn’t work with my friend’s daughter I decided to become that needed resource in our community.  
Being a foodie and having a mom who was an amazing cook, I was struck by the severity of eating disorders and how they devasted people’s lives and robbed them of the simplest of life’s pleasures, breaking bread with family and friends.  I decided early on that my goal was to rid our culture of eating disorders, in my lifetime.  But after more than two decades as a therapist I could see I wasn’t moving the needle enough.  I decided I needed a broader reach to include parents so, I created this online forum where parents have access to the resources, education, guidance, and advice they need to help their child recover.  Helping parents realize their leadership and participation in their child’s treatment is key to recovery.