about me

This is an image of a sunset in Maryland. There are vibrant pinks, yellow, oranges, and purples.

This is an image taken by Ari of a sunset over a waterway.

This is an image of Ari and her German Shepherd Dog Zeus in their matching Yankees jerseys.

Welcome to New Moon Ecotherapy!

Hello! My name is Ari (she/her) and I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LF 61468866) and Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LH 61490671) . I am a married, biracial, and neurodivergent woman from Olympia, Washington. My journey has taken me to many parts of the country and I am grateful to be back home in Washington. Sharing time with my family is one of my greatest joys. Being from the Pacific Northwest, I am deeply nature-connected and strongly attached to old growth forests (the Olympics!) and the Pacific Ocean. I also run marathons and love hiking, backpacking, kayaking, gardening, reading, listening to music, sewing, baking and watching baseball!

I earned my Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington in 2015. My time at Western is what inspired me to pursue a career in therapy. Learning about the field of relationship science opened a whole new world to me. I love love so it was an incredibly illuminating experience learning about theories and methods of improving relationships beyond someone’s personal opinions. I went on to earn my Master of Arts in Marriage, Couples, and Family Counseling from George Fox University in Portland, Oregon in 2018. I am currently a doctoral student in the Couple and Family Therapy program at Antioch University New England (degree expected 2025). My clinical and research focuses are the integration of ecotherapy with relationship education retreats, grief work, and climate-change related concerns such as ecoanxiety and ecogrief.

Notable Trainings

Level 1 Ecotherapy Training from The Earthbody Institute

Levels 1 & 2 of Gottman Method Couples Therapy

Treating Affairs & Trauma with Gottman Method Couples Therapy

Grief Therapy Techniques Foundational Training

Internal Family Systems Introductory Training

Tiers 1 & 2 of the Star Behavioral Health Providers Military Cultural Competency Training

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy

Telemental Health Training

This is an image of Ari preparing to climb down a ladder bridge on one of her backpacking trips to Blue Glacier in the Hoh rainforest.

This is a portrait of Ari with a background of trees.

This is an image of Ari and her fellow soldiers.

This is an image of a meadow taken on the way up to Blue Glacier.

This is an image of Ari and her partner with a background of trees.

This is an image of Ari's cats in their cat tree when they were kittens. Rosalie is a black Maine coon mix and Soren is a grey Nebelung.