Since 1995, I have worked with victims of violent crime and war, youth, immigrants, the disabled, and other marginalized groups. I completed my Master of Arts degree in Marital, Child, and Family Therapy in June 1999 and have been a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist since 2001.

After several years in private practice here in Los Angeles, I went to work in Liberia, West Africa with survivors of civil war in February 2005. As a trainer and field supervisor of Liberian counselors and social workers, worked directly with Liberian war survivors including women survivors of targeted sexual violence, male and female torture survivors of all ages, and conscripted child soldiers. The horrors that they experienced were only eclipsed by the courage with which they endured starvation, physical torture, mutilation, and seemingly unbearable psychological pain and the determination with which they persevere in moving forward with their lives.

I conceived this project while living and working with International NGOs in Liberia. After two years, I was tired of hearing so many negative things about Liberia and Liberians. I knew the challenges well but, in my work, had also heard and seen the courage and strength of Liberians. Those are the stories I wanted to tell. I shared my vision with Chris Herwig, an internationally-recognized photographer, who immediately came on board. From January through April of 2007, I stepped out of the role of therapist to become a journalist. Chris and I traveled around Liberia’s capitol, recording people’s photos and photographing them in their local environments.

The plan was to continue this work in other parts of Liberia but, while on holiday in Los Angeles in May 2007, I discovered that I was going to be a mom. My son was born in February 2008. He and I currently live in a lovely little flat in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles. I have a small private therapy practice and am continuing to look for opportunities to carry out this type of strength-based documentary work.

It is my hope that sharing this work in the US will have impact on people’s perceptions by making the effects of war more real while humanizing the victims. So often, coverage of conflicts portrays people as passive victims. A project like Survivors’ Truths gives a face to the issues in what I see as a more respectful way, one that acknowledges the local knowledge and incredible will that allows people to survive and that makes inaction by the rest of the world simply unacceptable.

A Canadian photographer currently based in Brooklyn, New York, I have worked all over the world including several years in Liberia, West Africa as well as Central Asia while living in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

I was technically educated in photography at Langara College in Vancouver, and my background includes professional work in advertising, PR and editing. While my earlier work experience was primarily commercial, much of my free time since 1993 has been spent on travel photography. This travel work has been showcased in exhibitions, magazines and on TV worldwide. I strive to produce clean and graphically pleasing compositions that document realistic situations sometimes playfully but still respectfully. I try not to limit my subject matter to what would typically be showcased; instead I include the many varied aspects of ordinary life that are often overlooked and try to highlight the charms and uniqueness of a particular region. Besides documenting different aspects of life and introducing an area such as Central Asia to a wider audience, the images are intended to entertain.

I hope you enjoy the Survivors' Truths: Trying to be all right in Liberia project and welcome your comments or inquiries at info@herwigphoto.com.