I’ve been married for 16 years and have four children. My parents converted to the church when I was 5 years old when we lived in Valladolid, Spain – a pioneering undertaking for sure. I received my undergraduate at BYU in psychology and my masters in Marriage & Family Therapy from Friends University in Wichita, Kansas where I currently have a private practice working with couples, individuals and families. I specialize in sex therapy and faith transitions within a systems framework. I am currently an active member of the church and consider myself comfortable in both traditional and nontraditional settings within LDS practice and membership. My involvement with Mormon Stories stems from my desire to help members of our church develop healthy relationships with their spirituality, their religious culture, their interpersonal relationships and their individual selves. As in most religious communities, there can be extreme pain and anxiety when things don’t go as traditionally planned – specifically when members find themselves outside of orthodox belief or practice.
As a believer in the gospel of Jesus Christ being, at its most basic yet profound level, love and acceptance; it is tragic to witness situations where themes related to our church cause personal dissonance or drive wedges between spouses, parents and their children, siblings, friends and ultimately communities. I am a believer and supporter of the mission statement of Mormon Stories – that of claiming our Mormon community and identity regardless of personal belief or behavior. For me, this touches at the core of what it means to be a Mormon – what it means to be a Christian – and what it means to be a family.
