Consultation Services

Regardless of your area of practice, intimate partner violence will likely cross your path as a clinician. Survivors often present with concerns such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance use, chronic health conditions, relationship difficulties, self-esteem concerns, parenting challenges, or difficulties with emotional regulation. Unless providers understand the dynamics of abuse, the role of coercive control, and the impacts of trauma, the underlying issue may be missed entirely.

Despite the prevalence and complexity of intimate partner violence, many graduate programs devote little time to understanding abusive relationship dynamics, trauma bonding, post-separation abuse, coercive control, or the unique barriers survivors face in leaving and recovering from abuse. As a result, many helping professionals find themselves supporting survivors without having received specialized training in this area.

The need for this knowledge is significant:

• Nearly 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men experience intimate partner violence during their lifetime.

• More than half of female homicide victims are killed by a current or former intimate partner.

• Intimate partner violence affects every community, socioeconomic group, profession, culture, age group, and educational level.

Working with survivors often requires a different lens than traditional clinical training provides. Specialized consultation can help professionals better understand the dynamics of abuse, strengthen case conceptualization, increase confidence in treatment planning, and provide more effective survivor-centered care.

Intimate partner violence has been the primary focus of my clinical work, research, advocacy, and professional development for many years. While many clinicians receive only limited training in abusive relationship dynamics, I have dedicated my career to understanding the pathways into abuse, the impacts of trauma and coercive control, and the process of survivor recovery.

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, founder of Sacred Pathways Counseling, developer of the Integrative Healing Model for Intimate Partner Violence (IHM-IPV), and co-author of the peer-reviewed publication Healing the Cycle: An Integrative Approach to Healing Intimate Partner Violence published in the Journal of Family Violence. In addition to my clinical work, I collaborate with researchers studying healing and recovery following abuse and serve on the Community Action Board for Our Wave, a national organization dedicated to supporting survivors and advancing education surrounding sexual and intimate partner violence.

Beyond my professional experience, I am also a survivor of intimate partner violence. This perspective allows me to bring both clinical expertise and lived understanding to consultation, offering insight into not only the research and theory behind abuse, but also the realities survivors face as they navigate safety, systems involvement, healing, and recovery.

My consultation style is collaborative, practical, and grounded in real-world application. Whether you are looking for support with a specific case, treatment planning, understanding coercive control, identifying abusive dynamics, or strengthening your work with survivors, my goal is to help you feel more confident, informed, and effective in the care you provide.