my approach and bio

HOW I WORK

I am enthusiastic, I feel deeply, and I believe in the power of humor - these are core to who I am as a person and core to who I am as a therapist.

I see my role as therapist as being a co-investigator with those I work with. Together, we explore the why’s, what’s, and how’s that have shaped and influenced you and your life. We seek out answers to questions, new understanding to places of confusion, compassion to places of shame, and freedom to places that have felt stuck. I bring in knowledge and expertise but we rely heavily on your own perspective, intuition, and insight in this process.

This process also often involves working with people and their younger selves - those younger versions of all of us whose wounds we still carry, whose belief systems may have been shaped by harmful or oppressive experiences, whose wonder can still guide us. Through working with our younger selves, positive change often gets unlocked.

In terms of theoretical approaches, my work heavily draws upon Internal Family Systems, Self-Compassion, Gestalt Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, Somatic Therapy, and Depth Psychology.

Why I do this work

I have long been connected to the experience of using my life to better the lives of those around me - this desire was amplified by my experience being an emotionally sensitive child who experienced a lot of the darkness (pain, insecurity, anxiety, depression, fear) as well as the gifts of lightness (joy, love, support, hope).  I operate my life from a mission to help as many people as possible while still fulfilling individual passion. The work that occurs in the therapeutic and human development space is where this belief comes to life for me, and I’m so grateful to love what I do. Legit - I look forward to Mondays.

What I believe about therapy

I believe therapy is awesome, period. I believe anyone who steps up into a therapeutic space exhibits strength and courage, and is taking responsibility over their life. It is from this belief that I approach my work with clients. In my own personal practice of self-care and personal development, therapy has been a container within which I have grown more into myself, gained better understanding about how and why I operate the way I do, released and shed those aspects of being that no longer serve me, and stepped more into who I want to become. Bottom line - I love therapy and look forward to continuing to be a part of spreading the narrative of how rad it is.

Education & Training

I graduated from Pacifica Graduate Institute with an M.A. in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Depth Psychology. There, I wrote the thesis that became the derivative of Green Exercise Therapy. In conjunction with graduate school, I obtained further clinical training at the University of San Francisco's Center for Child & Family Development and with Bay Area Community Resources, where I provided psychotherapy to children, adolescents, and their families in both school and community clinic settings. 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

I am a member and past President (2021/2022) of the Marin County Chapter of the California Association of Marriage & Family Therapists. I am also a member of the San Francisco Chapter of CAMFT, CAMFT, and Gaylesta, an association of psychotherapists serving the LGBTQ+ community. In addition to my private practice work, I am a clinician with Immigrants Rising.

If you feel I may be a good fit for you, please contact me to schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation to discuss further.