Credentials & Licensure
I hold a doctorate in Learning Sciences, a master’s in counseling psychology, and an MBA. I am also a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Michigan.
My professional background brings together counseling psychology, learning science, educational psychology, and organizational strategy. I draw on established psychological approaches, behavioral science, instructional design, and learning principles such as scaffolding and the Zone of Proximal Development to better understand how people learn, regulate emotions, make decisions, and perform under pressure. These foundations inform my work across clinical counseling, coaching, and consultation.
Credentials:
• LPC: Licensed Professional Counselor (Michigan)
• NCC: National Certified Counselor
• Doctorate in Learning Sciences
• MSEd. in Counseling Psychology
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Training in EMDR, DBT-informed approaches, CBT-based methods, Motivational Interviewing, SFBT
Philosophy
I believe people function with greater stability when they understand their internal states, clearly define their values, regulate their reactions, and communicate with clarity. Emotions convey information, and learning to recognize and interpret that information is essential. High demands and sustained pressure can expose vulnerabilities in these areas and contribute to breakdowns in judgment, communication, and relationships. Whether working with individuals or leaders, the ability to recognize stress, remain grounded, and respond with steadiness and intention matters. Dysregulated leaders can unintentionally spread that dysregulation throughout teams and organizations. My work focuses on strengthening these core capacities.
I use evidence-based psychological and behavioral principles to strengthen emotional regulation and communication. My approach begins with psychological safety and self-awareness, then draws from cognitive, behavioral, and solution-focused methods to understand patterns, challenge unhelpful responses, and reinforce more effective ones. The goal is greater emotional steadiness, clearer communication, stronger boundaries, and more consistent decision-making, particularly in environments where pressure is high and sound judgment matters.
Methods & Tools
- Applied Psychological and Educational Principles
Applied educational and psychological principles that strengthen clarity, emotional regulation, and behavioral stability. - Values and Human Development
Values exploration and alignment processes that support consistent decision-making and behavior. - Learning Science and Skill Development
Learning science mechanisms, including scaffolding and Zone of Proximal Development, for progressive skill acquisition and adaptive growth. - Instructional Design
Instructional design processes, including the ADDIE Model, for structured learning and skill development. - Behavioral and Systems Thinking
Systems thinking approaches for identifying interaction patterns, decision pathways, and organizational dynamics. - Communication and Relational Processes
Communication modeling strategies designed to reduce conflict and strengthen feedback quality and interpersonal clarity.
Personal Background
My early life included significant adversity: trauma, emotional and physical abuse, bullying, sexual assault, dropping out of high school, and a period of homelessness. These events shaped my interest in human behavior, emotional regulation, and resilience, and directed me toward disciplines that explain how people adapt and rebuild.
With sustained effort, tenacity, and focus, I went on to earn a degree in EMT-Paramedic studies, graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree, and earned an MBA, a master’s in Counseling Psychology, and a doctorate. Having earned my master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania, I have a deep appreciation for the distance between my starting point and where I am today. That progression reflects vision, disciplined work, rigorous training, and a commitment to continued learning.
My professional experience includes establishing Miletus Properties, LLC, a real estate investment and management company www.miletusrealestate.com as well as founding a children’s nonprofit, The Children’s Body-Image Foundation (501c3). Through this work, I learned the operational and financial demands of running an organization, the intricacies of the nonprofit sector, fundraising, and event planning, and gained a clear understanding of the interpersonal pressures involved in building and sustaining a business. This experience strengthened my understanding of organizational systems, strategic decision-making, and the pressures leaders face.
My martial arts background reinforces these same themes. After twelve years of training, I earned a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Relson Gracie (2008) and a Black Belt in Judo (2012). These disciplines rely on precision, adaptability, pattern recognition, and the ability to stay calm under pressure, skills that directly inform how I approach counseling, coaching, and consultation.
Across all settings, my focus remains consistent: helping individuals and organizations strengthen communication, improve emotional regulation, and operate with clarity under stress. My background gives me a grounded understanding of both personal struggle and high-performance environments, allowing me to support clients with a perspective that is both practical and deeply informed.
