About Stacy
A Life Spent in Service of Others
From the flight deck to the therapy room — every chapter of my life has been about showing up for people when it matters most.
My Story
My Journey to This Work
From the time I was a child, I was drawn to helping others. That pull never left me — it just found new forms as I grew.
I served in the military as a Plane Captain and later designated as an Avionics Technician for the HSL-41 Sea Hawk helicopter squadron, stationed in San Diego, CA. That experience taught me discipline, precision, and what it means to show up fully for the people counting on you.
After my military career, I returned to school and earned my BA in Psychology. My first role was working with adults with developmental disabilities — individuals living with severe autism, significant physical challenges, and in some cases, terminal illnesses like cancer. I drove them to appointments, mediated with other professionals, helped with meals, and supported them with the basics of daily living. I did that work for three years, and it changed me.
From there, I moved into substance abuse treatment — working in both a rehabilitation center and a hospital setting. I earned my Substance Abuse Certificate and my CADAC certification, deepening my understanding of addiction and recovery over two more years of direct service.
I then returned to school once more, earning my MA in Psychology with an emphasis in substance use. I became a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in 2017, and for the past seven years I have had the privilege of working with ACT Family Counseling Services — supporting a wide variety of individuals, couples, families, adolescents, and children.
Outside of work, I am happily married — 26 years and counting — with a houseful of fur babies who remind me every day that love is simple and unconditional.
My Philosophy
What I Believe About Healing
After years of sitting with people in their hardest moments, here is what I know to be true:
Most of our struggles begin in childhood — and no one is to blame.
Our parents did the best they could with what they had. Generational trauma passes through families in countless ways — through wars, addiction, illness, loss. Understanding that is not about excusing harm. It is about making sense of your story.
Healing takes time, and that is okay.
Trauma and emotional injury are not things you simply talk about once and move past. Real healing happens when people feel safe enough to tell their stories, reflect on what happened, and begin to make meaning out of it. That process is sacred, and it cannot be rushed.
You are stronger than you know.
The human capacity to keep going — to find strength after unimaginable pain — is one of the most remarkable things I have ever witnessed. I have seen it again and again. You have more resilience inside you than you can currently imagine.
Forgiveness is for you, not for them.
Forgiveness is not about condoning what happened or letting anyone off the hook. It is about freeing yourself from the pain that is still holding you back. As an adult, you have the power to reclaim your life — to stop letting old injuries define who you are and who you are becoming.
Credentials
Training & Credentials
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT)— Licensed since 2017
- MA in Psychology— Emphasis in Substance Use
- BA in Psychology
- Certified in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Certified in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Certified in Internal Family Systems (IFS)
- Certified in EMDR Therapy
- Substance Abuse Certificate
- CADAC Certification— Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor
Ready to Start Your Story?
A free consultation is the first step. No pressure — just an honest conversation about where you are and where you want to go.