When trauma impacts a family,
connections bring hope.
I help children, siblings, parents, and partners find their footing again — whether you're carrying the weight or loving someone who is.
With an understanding of child development, attachment, and the ways trauma disrupts connection, I help each member of the family system heal and move forward.
Trauma-informed counseling for children, teens, parents, and couples in Boise, Idaho.
The Child or Teen
Something happened — maybe a long time ago, maybe recently — and now everything just feels harder than it should. You're not broken. Your nervous system is just trying to protect you, and there's a way through.
The Overlooked Sibling
Everyone's attention is on your brother or sister right now. The appointments, the meltdowns, the conversations at dinner. You love your family and you're also quietly wondering — does anyone see me? Someone does.
The Exhausted Parent
You've tried everything — the books, the strategies, the long talks after bedtime. You love your child fiercely and you're running out of road. You don't need to be a perfect parent. You need someone in your corner.
The Couple
You love someone who's been through something hard — and their pain has become part of your daily life too. You may have started to lose hope and need new skills to get unstuck.
Healing doesn’t just happen in 50 minutes once a week.
It happens during all the moments in between.
At the dinner table when a parent finally understands what's driving their child's behavior. In the car when a sibling feels safe enough to say what they've been holding. At bedtime when a couple finds their way back to each other after a hard day.
Trauma doesn't only affect the person who experienced it. It can impact siblings, parents, partners, and the relationships that hold a family together. That's why I don't just work with the person sitting across from me. I keep the people they go home to in mind.
This work isn’t just professional for me.
It’s personal.
My sister came home to our family at 11 months old. I was two and a half. She came as a foster child with severe abuse and neglect. We grew up together — which means I didn't see the ripple effects of her early trauma for what they were. It was just life. It was just our family.
My parents surrounded her with love, a good education, and a faith community that believed in new starts. And still, something wasn't reaching her. Behind her behaviors were needs that no one — not even the people who loved her most — knew how to meet.
That question never left me. Why isn't love enough — and what does it take to actually heal?
It's the question that drove every degree, every training, every hour I've spent in a therapy room.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
Most people expect trauma therapy to take years. ART is different. It's an evidence-based approach that helps the brain reprocess painful memories and experiences — often in far fewer sessions than traditional talk therapy. I use it with clients ages 8 through adulthood who are ready to move through the pain rather than just manage it.
Trust Based Relational Therapy (TBRI)
Developed specifically for children from hard places — foster care, adoption, early neglect or abuse — TBRI works by addressing the root of behavior rather than just the behavior itself. It's also something I teach parents, because the most powerful TBRI happens at home, not in my office.
Gottman Method
When trauma ripples into a relationship or marriage, the couple often needs their own support. Gottman Method is one of the most researched approaches to couples therapy in the world. I use it to help partners rebuild trust, communication, and connection — even when things feel very broken.
APSAT - Betrayal Trauma
For partners navigating the specific devastation of betrayal — affairs, hidden pornography use, deception — I have specialized training through the Association of Partners of Sex Addicts Trauma Specialists. This isn't general couples work. It's a trauma-informed approach designed specifically for what betrayal does to a person's sense of self and safety.
Not sure which of these applies to you?
That's okay — most people aren't. Reach out and we'll figure it out together.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The first step is reaching out through either the contact form, by phone, or by email. From there, we'll schedule a free 20-minute consultation to connect and make sure it feels like a good fit. I offer both in-person sessions in Boise and telehealth throughout Idaho.
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Hopeful Connections Counseling is located 3295 W. Elder St, Suite 117-4, off S. Vista Avenue (Airport exit) in Boise, Idaho and available via telehealth throughout Idaho.
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Faith-sensitive counseling means that Christian faith can be integrated into the healing process for clients who desire that. It is always your choice and never assumed or required. If Christian faith is part of how you make meaning, it has a place in our work together. If it isn't, that's equally welcome.
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Hopeful Connections Counseling is a private-pay practice. However, your insurance plan may include out-of-network (OON) benefits that reimburse a significant portion of session costs. I've partnered with Thrizer to handle the out-of-network claims process automatically — so you don't have to manage superbills or wait for reimbursement checks. Once you meet your deductible, you may also have the option to pay a reduced fee at the time of session rather than paying full rate upfront.
Check your OON benefits and estimated cost here: eligibility.thrizer.com/hopefulconnectionscounseling
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The length of therapy depends on your goals and your goals direct the process. We set clear goals from the start and check in regularly, so you always know where you are. Many clients are surprised to find they've already met their goals when we pause to review progress. Some people need a handful of sessions; others benefit from longer-term support.
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Yes, parents are able to come into session as they are an essential part of the process. Typically, I work with the child or teen to make a plan to invite you in for the last 10 minutes of your child's session but this isn't one-size-fits-all — let's figure out together what works best for your family.
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I work with children ages 8 and up, teens, and adults. I support individuals who have experienced trauma firsthand or through loving someone who has including children, teens, parents, and partners navigating the impact of trauma in their family.
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That uncertainty is completely normal and it's exactly what a free consultation is for. I'm always happy to have a conversation to see if we're a good fit. And if I'm not the right person for what you need, I'll help point you toward someone who is. Getting the right support matters more to me than filling a spot on my caseload.
Maybe you're not sure therapy is the right step. Maybe you're sure but nervous about taking it. Maybe you just want to talk to someone before committing to anything.
That's exactly what a consultation is for.
There's no pressure and no obligation — just a conversation to see if we're a good fit and to make sure you feel comfortable before we begin. You deserve to feel at ease with the person you're trusting with your family's story.
If you’ve made it this far, something here spoke to you.
Prefer to reach out by phone or email first?
📞 208-917-3653