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I am a licensed therapist with over 9 years of experience treating individuals with post traumatic stress, depressive, and anxiety disorders. My approach is client-centered and strengths-focused, as I have found that tapping into a person’s capacity to grow and change is the best way to instill hope and transcend barriers.
My therapeutic specialties include treating adults and adolescents working through experiential avoidance of persistent triggers (or reminders of past trauma), attachment and relationship difficulties, stage of life crises, grief and loss, codependency, addiction, and medical and sexual trauma. I am certified in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a highly effective therapy for treating persons struggling with intrusive memories of painful events, as well as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), which draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and utilizes skills-building and behavioral tools to help people improve their frustration tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness in social interactions.
In addition to my clinical certifications, I am also trained and experienced in using Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT).
My own interest in psychology and the helping professions was sparked in my early to mid-20’s when I developed chronic pain. It was not until my late 20’s that I realized the importance of the mind-body connection and found psychoeducation and therapy to be so helpful in my own journey of recovery that I could not wait to make it my career. I went back to school to obtain my Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Southern California, where I gained experience treating adults and adolescents in outpatient therapy. After graduating I worked as an emergency response clinician, where I had the privilege of helping vulnerable adults dealing with mental health crises, and later as a psychotherapist to foster children displaced from their families and homes, many of whom had histories of abuse, neglect, and complex trauma.
My talents in working with hard-to-reach youth soon carried me over to another role of providing long-term and intensive psychotherapy to victims of commercial and sexual exploitation (human trafficking), which inspired me to receive additional clinical training in addiction, nutrition and mental health, dissociative symptoms, and neuroscience. The knowledge I gained has served me especially well in my private practice, as trauma is universal, though oftentimes the people who come to me for therapy do not fully understand why they feel so overwhelmed riding the waves of everyday life. Furthermore, they tell me that they feel stuck, and are unsure of how to move forward with respect to achieving their goals, strengthening their relationships, and advancing in their careers.
If you feel that where you are is not where you’re meant to be, if you’re curious about your potential, or if you’re simply looking for tools and guidance to navigate the unknown, I am happy to aid you in your journey.
Short Term (Solution-focused, etc.)
Ideal for those who are coming in with a specific problem they’d like to address and gain clarity on. Typically, short term therapies are present focused and do not dive deep into your past.
Structured
Structured therapies are goal and progress oriented. Therapists may incorporate psychoeducation and a specific “curriculum.” In order to stay on track, therapists may provide worksheets and homework.
Insight-oriented (Psychodynamic, Existential, etc.)
Exploring the past and making connections to present issues can help clients gain insight. Getting to the root of the issue and finding deeper self-awareness can help with long-term change.
Non-directive (Humanistic, Person-centered, etc.)
Going with the flow and seeing where it leads.
Behavioral (CBT, DBT, etc.)
Focuses on changing potentially unhealthy or self-destructive behaviors by addressing problematic thought patterns and specific providing coping skills.
Trauma Focused (EMDR, TF-CBT, etc.)
Recognizing the connection between trauma experiences and your emotional and behavioral responses, trauma focused therapy seeks to help you heal from traumas.
