Few things have the unique ability to shape our opinions, construct our perceptions, and bring us together like stories. For most of my life, my story was one of rural Oklahoma. It was full of red clay, hollers and bottoms, and people who lived a life very much like my own. I was fortunate to discover the power of stories early. The tales of other people and experiences have inspired me to listen to the stories around me and give voice to my own. I’m lucky to know that words

I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of perception—the way people view the world around them and how two people can be looking at the exact same scenario yet see different things. Anais Nin once said, “We don’t see things as they are; we see them as we are.” I heard this when I was just a little girl, and it is still one of my favorite quotes. It communicates what I believe to be an important truth: that our perceptions of the world shape everything we do—how we communic

I am a die hard, unashamed lover of Tulsa. I've traveled and am aware of what other cities across America have to offer. Yet, despite the benefits of other places, I’m certain Tulsa will forever be my home. When I describe Tulsa to those who are unfamiliar, I try to paint a picture of a community that has a natural inclination to help one another without expecting anything in return. There are good people here who promote good values. Because I was baptized in this ethos of v

Success comes in many forms. Ralph Waldo Emerson once described achieving success in these words: “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier

Over the last three years I have had the pleasure of teaching high school students in North Tulsa at both Central High School and McLain High School. My students have a lot to say and share with anyone willing to listen. However, they often lack a formal platform to voice their opinions, and, maybe most importantly, they often lack an audience dissimilar from themselves. You see, my students generally receive one of three reactions when they’re out around town: they’re overlo

Creating change. It was the most challenging part of being a counselor. I remember the sobering experience of sitting across from a client who was in distress. When I looked at her, I could see her strengths, her potential, her resilience, and the overwhelming spectrum of possibilities that lay ahead in her future. All she could see was her circumstances rising up around her creating a wall of limitations. The truth is, it’s really difficult to change someone’s perspective us