I graduated from Bryan College in Dayton, TN, with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, and minors in Bible and Literature. Bryan is a small Christian liberal arts school, which gave me the opportunity to strengthen my faith as well as grow academically and develop socially. I am an unashamed follower of Jesus Christ; however, TRECS module’s are not faith-based and will apply to anyone working with children, putting love into action and overcoming darkness with light. If you are a religious organization, I do offer TRECS with a Biblical Worldview.

My first job out of college was in a daycare as lead teacher of the three-year-olds. I clearly remember coming home that day and saying to my husband, “I can’t do this.” I was outnumbered by the eighteen little kiddos and didn’t have anything in my toolbox that I needed. But I rolled up my sleeves and went back the next day, and ended up loving my time with those children.

I later took a job at the Department of Social Services and then at the local Health Department. During my years of employment as a Social Worker, I visited families with children ages birth to five who were at risk for developmental delays due to socio-economic or medical conditions. I learned to conduct developmental screenings, becoming very familiar with the course of child development. Perhaps more importantly, I became certified in the NCAST Parent-Child Interaction Screening Scales, which had feeding and teaching components that could be used for assessment purposes and also to provide recommendations for services to strengthen parent-child interactions. Although I always have naturally felt something powerful was at work in the dance of connection within parent or teacher and child interactions, this is the first time I was introduced formally to the impact relationship has on child development.

Being a social worker was rewarding, but I continued to feel that lifelong tug to be in the classroom. I returned to college, graduating with a Master’s of Art degree in Birth-Kindergarten Education from Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, NC, in 2000. By then my first daughter had joined our family. I took some time to stay at home with her and built a Discovery Toys business and a Kindermusik franchise. These two loves of mine—play and music—are key components in my classrooms now! As my daughter grew, I always had the drive to improve myself as a parent. At some point, I obtained Dr. Becky Bailey’s cassette series, “Loving Guidance,” and it truly began to change how I viewed the adult-child dynamic. Twenty years later, I wish I could say I was the perfect parent and became the perfect teacher, but that is FAR from the truth. I continue to make mistakes and learn something every day.

I would love to have you join me as I continue to walk this path.

Since earning my teaching degree, I have worked as a Kindergarten teacher, an elementary music teacher, a Georgia PreK teacher, and exceptional student preschool teacher, and am currently a North Carolina Pre-K teacher. Earlier in my teaching career, I concentrated most of my continuing education in early literacy and play. These two aspects of early childhood education are still very important to me. However, the last few years have been spent learning as much as possible about how to reach and teach children with trauma, ACEs and anxiety. This was done through reading the books that are found on the bibiography page, following the work of informed psychologists, teachers, and authors on their websites, social media, and podcasts, and by participating in the conferences and courses listed below.