My Professional Story:
I have my master’s and doctoral degrees in clinical and forensic psychology. I am a tenured professor, an international keynote speaker, a best-selling author, and a global consultant. I have served as a consultant on mental health to the Minister of Health in Norway; written the college curriculum for MN POST law enforcement certifications; spoken to survivors, families, and communities affected by mass shootings; and collaborated with national health care organizations on vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and burnout. I am also a Certified Humor Professional and recently competed for Minnesota’s Funniest Person.
My Personal Story:
After high school, I backpacked across seven countries in Africa. My parents died shortly after I returned to the US, leaving me feeling orphaned and untethered.
I worked as an actress in Los Angeles until a severe autoimmune disease took me away from the stage. I ended up homeless in LA until I found my resolve to return to the Midwest to attend college and then graduate school.
Because the medications from the disease caused significant weight gain, I worked very hard to lose over 100 pounds in my early 40’s.
Then I lost my husband to a swift, severe battle with lung cancer, leaving me to parent our two children alone.
Most recently, I have become the mother to a child with a serious and persistent mental illness. I have seen mental health from both sides: the personal and the professional.
