I'm the Business Manager here at The Human Connection.  You will most likely talk to me when you call in or contact us via email. I take great pride in matching every client with the right counselor to provide them with the best possible support.  I handle the behind the scenes aspects of the business, manage all of the billing and support the public in understanding the services we offer.  I was born and raised in Sandpoint, and while I've had the privilege of traveling, Sandpoint has always been my favorite place. I love the mountains that surround our beautiful home and spend as much time in them as I can, whether that's hiking, camping, or skiing with my partner and our rescue pups. When you visit our office you may also meet the office dogs and my adventure pals, Loki and Birdie.

I seek to help people find genuine connection and growth using a collaborative approach to counseling. I believe that we all see the world in very different ways because of our past experiences and our current place in life. As your counselor, I see you as the expert on your own life and will help you develop a deeper understanding of how you want to grow as a person. I believe counseling comes with challenges as well as celebration. I welcome clients of all ages and walks of life and accept people simply for being themselves. I am also professionally trained in Neurotherapy and am excited to provide this service to our community and make it as widely available as I possibly can. I was born and raised in North Idaho and have a wife and two beautiful children that drive me to be the best I can be. I strive to cultivate an atmosphere of acceptance and love in both my own life and the Sandpoint community.

It is my desire to help clients of all ages who are seeking support and understanding with depression, anxiety, adoption, military life, trauma, and marriage and family issues. I have an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and in Human Services Counseling: Marriage and Family.  I grew up in Washington State, married my husband in 1995 and we have traveled across the United States since then with the military. We recently settled in Priest River and are excited to start a new chapter in our lives. We have two adult boys, and adopted an 11-year-old special needs girl in 2015. I am a Christian and can offer both Christian and secular counseling in our Sandpoint and Priest River offices. I’ve had a passion and desire for helping people for as long as I can remember and would love to meet and walk with you in your journey, wherever you are. 

Acknowledgement and appreciation for our unique life experience can be a powerful healing tool which leads to self-acceptance and empowerment. Everyone has something about themselves that they aren’t proud of or are feeling challenged to navigate through. We all do our own healing, but we don’t have to do it alone. It takes courage to ask for support and having someone to walk through it with you can create needed connection and a smoother transition to becoming the person you envision yourself to be. It is my hope that you will find a safe and unconditional environment in our sessions together, and if I am not the best fit for you, I will do my best to help you find a therapist who is. 

I am a Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (LAMFT). I hold a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, and a sex therapy certification endorsed by AASECT, the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists.
I welcome individuals, couples, families and adults. I specialize in supporting all walks of life for needs related to LGBTQIA+ concerns, grief, depression, anxiety, trauma, chronic and long-term illness, sexual concerns, life transitions, spirituality, healthy communication, parenting, adulting, mindfulness, meditation and somatic awareness. 

I’m glad you’re here and I look forward to meeting you.

Hello! I am happy you are here. My name is Makayla and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor. My goal as a counselor is to create a collaborative relationship with you in order to help you achieve your full potential. I want to connect with you in order to help you better manage and understand your thoughts and emotions. While I lean towards cognitive behavioral therapy, I believe that every individual is unique and I will adjust my counseling techniques to suit your individual needs. I enjoy working with relationship and family dynamics, life adjustments, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals. I fully believe that every person can find healing. 

I am a Sandpoint native and returned to this wonderful community in 2021 after getting my masters degree at Northern Arizona University. I love to ski, hike, paddle board and take advantage of all our beautiful world has to offer. 

I look forward to meeting you!

I am a lifelong behavioral health practitioner with 30 years of experience providing counseling services to a large cross section of clients including veterans, first responders, athletes, and teens learning to manage symptoms associated with post traumatic stress, chronic pain, chronic conditions, depression, anxiety, and phase of life transitions. My goal is to understand and connect with clients to help better manage thoughts, feelings and behaviors to increase performance in life, relationships and/or career. My experience also tells me that true happiness involves a focus on the whole person, and I often collaborate with other wellness practitioners for a solution focused approach using the most suitable evidence based strategies to help you learn and grow. Together we can navigate your own unique life plan in a safe, nonjudgemental environment. I am a certified Cognitive Behavioral Therapist, and certified in Chronic Disease Management, PTSD for the military and military culture. I am also licensed to treat co-occurring disorders in another state.

I believe that everyone can benefit from an outside, objective point of view when
exploring the challenges we face in this complex world. My approach to counseling is
drawing on my over 40 years of experience in the mental health field. I believe we all
want to be seen, heard, and understood. Through my own work on myself, and through the work I’ve done helping others explore themselves, I have developed an integrated approach to counseling that meets your needs wherever you are. I work collaboratively in my sessions. You’re the boss. You direct where we go. I believe it’s my job to listen actively and assess your needs while following the energy you present. I’m willing to push where needed, but never to a point that feels farther than you’re capable of going. Change can happen when we’re willing to put in the work!

I welcome individuals, families, couples, adolescents and children as young as 10-
years-old. I enjoy working with a variety of conditions that affect humans including
LGBTQIA+, anxiety, depression, marriage/relationships, parenting, personal emotional
growth and expansion, and the issues that arise in the face of the many transitions we experience over our life-spans. I’m a Christian and am comfortable counseling
individuals in spiritual and secular matters. I’m currently completing a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and am looking forward to gaining licensure as a Professional Counselor later this year.

My wife and I moved to Sandpoint in 1997 and we raised our children here. We are
happy to live in such a beautiful place and to call it home. I love being part of this vibrant community and enjoy all of the community and outdoor experiences this environment offers.

I founded The Human Connection in Sandpoint in 1991, and strongly believe that, with the right kind of support, everyone can grow to have a more fulfilling life.  I enjoy working with clients seeking to grow their lives and are willing to do the work that growth takes.  I believe that all of us are wounded in some ways, and, most importantly, that all of us can heal.

I am a passionate and active member of the Sandpoint community, having volunteered for many organizations over my three decades in Sandpoint.  I founded the Long Bridge Swim in 1995, and have volunteered many years at the Panhandle Animal Shelter, The Panida Theater, The Festival At Sandpoint and for many other events and organizations.  I draw inspiration from nature and animals and genuine connections with other people.  I have a wonderful wife of 18 years and we have two adult children who also live in this community.