The “realness of life” hits hard at times, relationships are complicated, and the challenges come and seem like they’ll never leave. The Resilient Reed came out of this space.

My professional ministry experience is in spiritual formation, connections, women’s ministry, small groups, mentoring, camp ministry, and youth & children’s ministry. I have decades of experience walking with others as they approach decision making and process relational challenges, trauma and questions of faith. Because my own story includes abuse, both spiritual and others, I also have firsthand experience in navigating the complexities of life, faith and trauma. My training includes the SoulCare Foundations program by Larry Crabb, as well as apprenticeships in mentoring and spiritual formation.

In addition to my ministry experience, I have my BS in elementary education and I spent thirteen years as a homeschool teacher and nine years as a piano teacher. As host parents for Safe Families for Children (a non-profit providing an alternative to foster care) for many years, we hosted fifteen children and walked alongside their parents during very challenging or traumatic seasons in their journeys. Being invited to hear their stories and walk alongside them for a season is one of the greatest honors of my life. In many ways, The Resilient Reed exists because of these beautiful, brave children and adults.

My husband, Scott, and I are parents of two adult sons, one of whom is married, blessing me with my first daughter (in-law), and we live in a near north suburb of Chicago, one of the country’s most diverse metropolitan areas.

In my spare time, I enjoy walking around Chicago and the surrounding areas while listening to audiobooks or podcasts and taking photos of the things and people I see. I also love cooking international food, researching history and psychology, spending time with my family, and sitting with a book on a beach, watching the waves of Lake Michigan.