About
The first thing that I want you to know is that I am deeply passionate about what I do. It's a privilege to sit in a room with another human being and have them share with you their suffering, their joy, their anger, their confusion, their sorrow, their successes. I view the therapy room as a sacred space, where one can truly be themselves, with no judgement, no criticism, only understanding & genuineness. It is my job to know your story, understand your perspective and guide you with your best interest in mind. I approach therapy with optimism and hope. I challenge my clients to open themselves up to change and personal growth by increasing their awareness around their thought processes, their patterns of functioning and their relationship with others.
Theoretical Orientations/Therapy Models
Systemic Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Psychodynamic Therapy
Experience
I have worked in the mental health field for over fifteen years. My experience is what has brought me to where I am today. This outlines the range of my abilities and scope of my practice.
My work in the mental health field began as an undergraduate student in psychology. During that time I completed two years of internship. The first was at a non-profit agency focused on the reunification of estranged families. There I ran a parenting group and an anger management group with adults. I also helped facilitate monitored visitations for parents and their children. The second was as a mental health intern at an elementary school where I saw children 12 years and under with variety of mental health diagnoses including autism, anxiety, depression, conduct disorder & oppositional defiance as well as children coping with grief & loss. It was during my time as an undergraduate and through the experiences I had working with these children and their loved ones that I saw the powerful impact that family and environment has on the individual. This is what led me to pursue a masters degree in marriage and family therapy.
During graduate school I continued my work with children and families in largely impoverished, high risk & culturally diverse areas. I worked with families in a variety of settings including clinics, homes, foster homes and temporary housing. These were families who were dealing with trauma, abuse & substance dependance. At this time I also began working with adolescents who were involved with the legal system. I believe it is the experiences I received during my time as a graduate student that contribute to the depth of my experience as a therapist.
Following graduate school I worked as a high school mental health counselor. I have presented on issues of bullying to parents, teachers & students, I have ran self esteem and motivation groups for teenagers, created educational material on mental health issues for teachers, I have attended IEP meetings and suspension hearings and I have worked closely with educators to pursue a team effort approach in rehabilitating children. I have seen adolescents with a wide range of issues including: anxiety, depression, sexual abuse, neglect, exposure to violence, self harm, suicidal ideation/attempt, autism, eating disorders, grief/loss, sexual identity, gender identity & psychosis. Following that time I also worked briefly in crisis response with children and adolescents who were temporarily hospitalized for suicidal attempts & aggressive behavior.
For the past few years I have worked in a private practice setting. While I continued to see children, adolescents and families, during this time my experience has also expanded to working more closely with adults dealing with relationship/marital issues, self identity/life adjustment issues, trauma & severe depression and anxiety. I have also worked with couples struggling with communication and issues of infidelity. I have found this work to be highly rewarding, it has challenged me in different and exciting ways and added to the breadth of my experience.
Education
Chapman University, B.A., Psychology
California State University, Long Beach, M.S. Marriage and Family Therapy
License & Credentials
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (License #LF60397189)
Child Mental Health Specialist
Ethnic Minority Mental Health Specialist
Professional Affiliations
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
Washington Association for Marriage and Family Therapy