I am a psychologist and a photographer. As a psychologist I work with children and families who have little or no resources or support. My photography is a creative expression of the same concern for larger social issues, such as mental illness or homelessness.

In September 2010, I met a young teenage girl, Krystal Whitaker, at the Sol House, a transitional living placement in Columbia, Missouri. At the time, I did not know that she was several months pregnant or that I would spend the next 18 months photographing her, and her daughter Kyah.

In May 2011, Krystal and Kyah moved back to Philadelphia where Krystal had grown up. Krystal and Kyah returned to Columbia in February 2012 and I have started photographing mother and daughter again. I hope to make this an ongoing project as long as possible.

In the future, I hope to create additional photo stories that challenge misperceptions of the mentally ill.