Why Winding Pathway Counseling
You are never alone…
The name Winding Pathway Counseling comes from a place long before I became a therapist.
I spent my summers in northern Michigan at my grandparents’ cabin, where the woods felt endless and time moved more slowly. My grandmother was the steadiest, most loving presence in my life—especially during a childhood marked by pain and the absence of safe adults. Nearly every day, we walked together along narrow trails and two-track roads worn into the forest floor, winding through the woods.
She taught me how to slow down, to be present, and to notice. To attend to what was happening both around us and within us. We looked for animal footprints pressed softly into the dirt, wild blueberries just beginning to turn, and listened for birds she could name simply by their call. In those moments, my body learned what safety felt like—through rhythm, presence, and quiet connection. Sometimes she walked just a bit ahead, especially when the path narrowed. She always seemed to know where to go—whether the trail was clear or when there seemed to be no path at all.
She would sometimes ask if I wanted a walking stick, as if listening for what the path itself required that day. Some stretches were wide and gentle, where the ground felt steady beneath our feet. Other moments brought uneven terrain, where the way forward blurred and each step asked for more care. When the path narrowed or disappeared altogether, she stayed close, never rushing. Just quietly guiding with a steady presence, trusting the pace and allowing the path to reveal itself. This kind of attuned, respectful companionship shapes how I show up as a therapist.
This practice is named in her honor.
Just as she walked alongside me, I am privileged to walk alongside you. Healing is rarely a straight line. The road can feel uncertain, and at times it is essential to move slowly, to listen inwardly, and to lean on support—to find a “walking stick”—until your system feels steadier and more resourced. For trauma survivors especially, being asked to slow down, notice, and be present after years of living in fight, flight, or freeze can feel unfamiliar or even frightening.
At Winding Pathway Counseling, you are not alone on this path. I offer a space where your pace is respected, where parts of you are met with curiosity and compassion, and where healing unfolds gently, until the way forward feels more navigable, and the path becomes your own.
