How my journey began

At the age of 15 I decided that I wanted to be a police officer.  I joined the Police Explorer program in high school and later got a bachelor’s degree in Criminology.  In 1993 I graduated the police academy and started work at Largo PD.  While there I saw what every officer sees, both good and bad. 

In 1999 two things happened that changed the course of my life.  I developed severe test anxiety and could not pass my firearms qualification causing me to leave the department.  That same year a friend and colleague died by suicide.

I started working at the police academy and while there I joined the Critical Incident Stress Management team and started my Doctorate in counseling.  I decided I wanted to help other first responders deal with the things they experience at work. 

Since 2010, I have been working the field of mental health and substance use. In August 2019 I became a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. 

My background in law enforcement and mental health counseling makes me uniquely qualified to assist first responders with the traumatic events they experience at work. 

Like all first responders, I am steadfast and can handle the traumatic events, but the reality is that there is a need to off load the things we see and hear and do it in a healthy manner.