I’ve been working in mental health for over 20 years, serving in settings ranging from methadone clinics and outpatient programs to maximum security prisons. Along the way, I’ve worked as a front-line provider, a team member, a leader—and most importantly, a learner.

What drove me to start creating training programs was witnessing the same painful pattern repeat itself: well-meaning staff unintentionally escalating challenging situations. I saw good people burn out, get written up, or even lose their jobs—not because they didn’t care, but because they didn’t have the right tools. I knew something needed to change.

I created my first therapeutic communication training on my own time and brought it to my supervisor. After seeing its impact, he made it a mandatory annual training for all staff. That moment lit a fire in me. I started collecting evaluation forms, using the feedback to revise and expand the material. Over time, the demand for my training grew to the point that I couldn’t hold down a second job—and honestly, I wouldn’t want to. I love what I do.

Today, I lead trainings that help staff feel confident, clear, and capable—not overwhelmed and reactive. I believe that when people don’t have effective strategies for dealing with difficult behaviors, they fall back on unhealthy habits: coercion, power struggles, or emotional shutdown. These approaches break trust and damage the nurse-patient relationship.

My work is about offering something better—practical, trauma-informed tools that restore clarity, connection, and confidence to the front lines of care. I believe staff can feel empowered, and patients can feel respected—even in the most intense environments.