Nancy Dillman

Background

About Nancy Dillman

Early exposure to cultural perspective taking forged the lens through which I continue to view our incredibly diverse world. I have since committed to a life-long practice of polishing that lens with the understanding that each person’s perspective is as valid as it is an opportunity for authentic human connection and growth. As the spouse of a retired Air Force member, the mind broadening experiences afforded by 20 years within a diverse military community have also had a significant impact on my world views, values, and capacity for compassion. My former profession as a computer-aided drafting (CAD) designer provided a dependable career which spanned several duty stations across the country. Those experiences simultaneously cultivated a passionate curiosity for the human mind and behavior through the daily navigation of personalities, motivation, and conflict resolution in ever-changing project dynamics. Although authenticity and a commitment to cultural sensitivity are at the core of my “why” in becoming a counselor, volunteering with my local hospital’s Hospice and Palliative Care program has been invaluable to the honing my ability to offer compassionate care. I have found grief to be profoundly transformative, yet rather insidious when this natural process is repressed or stunted. Francis Weller writes in The Wild Edge of Sorrow, American society leans toward “grief-phobic and death-denying” ways of navigating life. Yet, we continuously encounter many types of grief and their compounding effects, at the very least, add to our pervasive mental health epidemic. I am prepared to sit with my clients in the depths of their various forms of grief, giving special attention to individual cultural perspectives.