About Me

I’m Caroline (pronouns she/her), and I’m a mental health counselor in training and a professional chaplain.

I am currently completing my MA in Counseling at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque and am interning at UNM’s Mental Health Collaborative, counseling UNM students. My projected graduation date in December 2025. 

While I am no longer working in healthcare as a chaplain, it was an integral part of my life and experiences on my path to becoming a mental health counselor. Before training as a chaplain, I didn’t know what that was but consider it an intersection of spirituality and counseling. Sometimes this looks more “spiritual” and sometimes not at all, it depends on the person I’m working with. 

My personal beliefs are Buddhist, but Chaplains are trained to work as an multi-faith role, as well as with those who are atheist or agnostic. I’ve written a more detailed description of what Chaplains are/do here. 

I feel like my calling is to be of service, as best I can, with each person who I cross paths with. I seek to bring kindness and compassion. I believe wisdom and the messiness of being human are two sides of the same coin. My inclination towards service work transcends my identity as a Buddhist— it comes from the depth of my humanity. I see working in hospitals, rehab, jails, or one-on-one with people as opportunities to connect with people from that deep desire to serve in a variety of ways.

I’ve been practicing Buddhism for a decade—it profoundly changed my life and the lens through which I see the world. I am a graduate of the Dharmata Foundation’s, “Dharma Leadership Program,” as well as endorsed by the organization to represent their values as a Chaplain. I am also ordained as a Buddhist minister by the International Center of Chinese Buddhist Culture & Education (“ICCBCE“), an ecumenical Buddhist organization. I am also a Reiki practitioner, trained by Steven Smith of Reiki for Creative Minds. 

I completed a Master in Divinity Buddhist Chaplaincy program from University of the West in Rosemead, California. I worked as a chaplain in two of the major hospitals in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

My training includes 5 units of CPE training, including a year-long, 4-unit residency at a hospital in Santa Monica, CA. My first unit was completed at a pediatric hospital in Los Angeles. I previously worked in addiction treatment at a Buddhist-based, trauma-informed drug treatment center. I volunteered regularly at a LA County jail, while I was in graduate school, counseling women one-on-one. Hearing people stories is at the heart of what Chaplains do, and it’s what makes me feel most alive. 

I am a cis, white, queer, able-bodied U.S. American-born woman who converted to Buddhism over a decade ago. I try to pay attention to how my inherent privileges and rank blind me to many things. I hope I’m becoming more aware of them—I know I have a ton to learn. I recognize that being a white person who is Buddhist clergy carries with it particular responsibilities, especially around culture and the potential to appropriate it.

I live in northeast Albuquerque, New Mexico (occupied Tewa lands), but I’m originally from a semi-rural area of Northern Virginia, adjacent to DC. I have also lived in Washington D.C., the Bay Area, Austin, TX, Northwest India and Ithaca, NY, and most recently Los Angeles. I eat a plant-based diet and I love to cook. I love animals, especially dogs. I also love powerlifting, swimming laps, meditation and hiking.