Helen has more than 25 years’ experience in the field of Human Services. She has worked at the local, state, and national level to implement, monitor, and enhance mental health and substance use disorder services for children, adults, and families. She currently owns and operates BigTree Behavioral Health Services, a small private group practice in Bend, Oregon.

Helen holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Work and a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts. In addition to her foundational coursework focusing on the understanding of human behavior as well as the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional problems; she has extensive post-graduate training and experience in the treatment of addiction, trauma, and co-occurring disorders.

In addition to her counseling practice, Helen serves as a consultant faculty member with AllRise, where she has provided training and technical assistance to treatment courts since 2016. She teaches in the Master of Counseling Program at OSU-Cascades and in the Addiction Studies Program at Central Oregon Community College. Helen also provides clinical supervision to Professional Counselor Associates and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor Registrants. Additionally, she assists behavioral health organizations with licensing, credentialing, and accreditation processes.

Helen is the proud mom of an adult daughter, and lives in Bend, Oregon with her husband, Dan. In her free time, Helen enjoys gardening, horseback riding, reading, and spoiling their two large dogs.