Professional Education and History

Victoria has been in the field of mental health for forty years. Victoria holds a master’s degree
from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in Counseling and Education (1985). Victoria has over 2,000 hours of continuing education and has basically, lost count.

In the 1980’s, Victoria worked for El Paso County Health Department as a Chemical Dependency
Counselor for eleven years. During this time, Victoria co-trained the Sheriff’s department in their EAP department methods to respond to drug/alcohol crises. This was the time of HIV and clients died and loved ones died during that time. Additionally, Victoria served as a director at large for the Association for Play Therapy, Inc. in Denver, Colorado for five years with duties to include: creating administrative documents, being part of a team to put on national conferences as well as teaching at those conferences.

At the county health department, Victoria divided her time between adult clients and children.
She was a co-therapist for women’s groups recovering from sexual and other abuse with varying
symptoms. The Family Center was being created to serve “The Mom’s Project” where the clients were adolescent and adult mothers, pregnant with limited resources at risk for drug abuse during and after pregnancy. In this role, Victoria hired staff for the Mom’s Project, carried drug affected babies around the Family Center, taught clients how to “read” their babies, and she even cooked breakfast!

In 1993, Victoria discovered experiential play therapy and set up a playroom in the Family Center. In 1995, Victoria opened A Children’s Therapy Place, PC and created a therapeutic playroom where she worked with young children and their families for 29 years (ages 2-12). The population
during those years was varied: sexual abuse, abandonment, medical challenges, developmental delays, bullying, divorce, death and dying, adoption, stepfamilies, kidnappings, often in court, sorting out children’s social/emotional challenges. In 2009 – 2011, Victoria volunteered at Our Tree House and Camp Willie; both serving children who lost their parents to death and later expanded to sibling losses; the parents were also supported.

Currently, Victoria is offering teletherapy only – walk and talk when possible.

Victoria is a certified Parent Educator, EMDR Level II certification, Trauma Specialist, IFS trained and a Reiki II practitioner. Her work is published in 5 textbooks for college level instruction and she has self-published two books relating to her work with young children.

Initial sessions provide a space to establish trust in order to go deeper (or not) depending on the
client’s goals and needs. She offers EMDR, active listening, inner child dialogue and retrieval as an
integration process, Shadow work, IFS/parts work, and relaxation suggestions to manage anxiety and stress. This approach is generally coupled with a belief in providing practical solutions to daily life.

Personal Information

Victoria loves to read, write, draw, paint, sculpt, walk, do yoga, cook and be in nature and
resting, studying and listening to music. Her daughter lives here in Bellingham and her son lives in
Colorado Springs. Alfie, our Norwegian Forest cat- a senior of undetermined age – a trauma survivor. He is doing okay due to being spoiled by us. You may meet Alfie in one of our sessions.