Hi there! Therapy doesn’t have to be boring, awkward, or always saying the right thing. I bring my full personality and two decades of professional experience into our therapeutic space;you will feel that’s exactly what you needed! I am a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist and Art Therapist. I heal myself from creative therapy and I want you to experience the magic, too.

What would your clients and colleagues say is your therapist superpower?

My clients and colleagues would say my superpower is being creative and making our conversations go by fast! We would laugh or tear up a little bit, but overall felt comfortable even being in the silence while doing art. My clients always say, “I remember the question you asked me last week, and I noticed that I’ve gained some insight.”

What was one of the most challenging experiences during your training to become a therapist. How did you overcome the challenge, and what did you learn from it?

My most challenging experience to become a therapist is to be in the process of acculturation. I came to live in the US in adulthood. I noticed that my politeness (i.e., listening to what others have to say first) sometimes being perceived as not knowing what’s happening or just shy. I felt unheard, misunderstood, and minimized in front of my supervisor during training.

I overcome this challenge by being vulnerable and openly shared my experience and feelings to the group and my supervisor. She and I became closer after that and we have inside jokes now.

What is one thing that you have learned through your own therapy?

The first thing I have learned through my own therapy is how to cry! No kidding! I was the kid growing up with this idea that crying is useless. You might felt relate to those comments, “Stop crying! Cry doesn’t solve the problem. Why are you crying for it? Not worth it!” If you have wondered why we cry or should we cry as well, I would love to hear your experience about crying and we can discuss it in our sessions.

What was your path to becoming a therapist? What inspired you to choose this profession?

A fun fact about me is that therapy is my second career. I was a financial planner, customer, and product manager back then. My bank customers would grab a cup of coffee sitting in my office chat about their family stuff and feelings. I asked them why and they told me that they felt it’s natural and they trusted me would listen and not telling anyone else. I thought to myself, “Oh, that’s something more interesting then just talking about money. It’s a sign!”

I took art and psychology classes out of my interests growing up. After seeing my career personality test result, I was very sure that I was meant to be in this profession, as a therapist.

If you could pick one or two books that influenced your approach to therapy what would they be and why?

#1 The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients by Irvin Yalom

#2 Parenting from the Inside Out: How a Deeper Self-Understanding Can Help You Raise Children Who Thrive by Daniel J. Siegel M.D. and Mary Hartzell

This is hard to just pick two because I have so many books that influenced my approach and how to meet my clients where they are. Hold Me Tight by Dr. Sue Johnson and Art-based Group Therapy: Theory and Practice by Bruce Moon are both so influential to me.

Yalom’s book taught me how to be the authentic person in the room first and then wearing my therapist hat properly and comfortably. I am always this person, this human with body, flesh, a heart, and feelings.

Siegel and Hartzell’s book have been mentioned or quoted a lot in recent sessions with clients, about how to balance emotion and logic, how to support teens, and how to establish healthy attachment.

For more information, please visit www.chaotherapy.com