I was a behavioral therapist for 15-plus years. I work with teens on the spectrum and their families, and I want to learn to help families who struggle due to their diagnosis. With the job restrictions of being an ABA therapist I wasn't able to work with the whole family. With the knowledge I have learned from being a behavior therapist and with this degree I will be able to counsel families living with ASD. The non-profit I work with recently started a support group for ASD siblings and their families, and I am blessed to be a part of that.

I am an Army vet and I am currently pursuing an EdD in Community Care and Counseling: Marriage and Family Counseling. Many families I work with are in crisis, I want to effectively help them. Raising a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can come with many challenges for the family. The most common crises families may face include: emotional stress, financial strains, social isolation, stress on relationships within the family, and sometimes leading to divorce. I have experienced most of the things I mentioned, but God has used those experiences for His purpose. The help we (as co-laborers with Christ) offer these families is from experience and importantly from the heart. It has been a blessing to see families persevere through the love of Christ. It has been an honor being at LU. It has blessed me academically and spiritually. They really do train champions for Christ. I am one of them : )