About April
I love how everyone has a story that tells how they’ve ended up where they are today. Sometimes it’s a dream that is passionately pursued. Other times it can feel like a series of circumstances that have fallen into place. I see my own journey to becoming a therapist more of an evolution. As a bright eyed and bushy tailed 18 year old, I pursued a bachelor’s degree in Family Life Ministry with a focus on Social Work. I spent some time working in foster care and ultimately ended up working in the community care ministry at a mega church in Las Vegas. Our department members were the first responders to emotional and physical needs in our community. As a 22 year old, slightly naive Gen Xer, I was immersed into a role of sitting in pain with people. I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by a team that taught me how to sit in the ick, show compassion and love to the hurting, and maintain joy in the midst of difficult circumstances. It’s the place that cultivated the foundation to the therapist I am today.
While working at the church, I often spent time offering crisis and pastoral counseling to people in the community. We had two licensed marriage and family therapists in our department that we could refer clients to that needed an additional level of care that my training did not provide. I longed to continue working with these hurting people through their healing process rather than giving them a great referral. It was in these “longing” moments, the match was lit. I was ready to pursue my graduate program. There is something incredible about finding what you are meant to do. Being a therapist fuels me. Having a front row seat to witness people being freed up from trauma, finding their voices, and their own matches being lit, that is indescribable. My daughter asked me recently, “Mom, if money wasn’t a thing, and you could do any job in the world, what would it be?” I confidently replied, “What I am doing now.” What a gift it is to be in this beautiful position that is far more than a career; it is my own dream.
Check out the post below written by April, to learn a little about people pleasing!