About Me

I am originally from the California Bay Area—born in San Francisco and having spent the majority of my life living in and around that great city. I received my bachelor of arts degree (psychology) at California State University, San Marcos, and my master of arts degree (counseling psychology) at the University of San Francisco. I developed an interest in mental health and providing direct support services at an early age, based on some experiences with peers coming from disrupted families and living in communities marked by violence. Over the course of the past 20+ years, I have come to have a strong belief in the value of strength-based and culturally competent mental health interventions and have had many opportunities to work with individuals seeking support for a wide variety of reasons and needs.

About my practice

Populations: children, teens, adults, seniors, couples, and families. Specialties: ADD/ADHD, social skills, anxiety, panic attacks, trauma, PTSD, phobias, OCD, depression, anger, grief/loss, eating disorders, substance abuse, personality disorders, autism spectrum, life transitions, parenting, and relational difficulties. Interventions: CBT, trauma-focused CBT, DBT, mindfulness practice, solution-focused, motivational interviewing, strategic/structural family therapy, and parent/child attachment.

How I thrive

I often suggest to the individuals I provide support to (and reminding them often), that engaging in self-care is a key element of overall mental and physical health. This is reflected in the activities I enjoy; which include cycling, cooking, traveling when possible, yoga, recreational reading, and finding quiet time to reflect on the good things in life.