Provider

Anxiety

I have worked with many clients over the years who have struggled with a range of different issues and something that commonly comes up in their sessions is the presence of  anxiety, fear, and avoidance.  If you are finding it difficult to pursue your goals, enjoy life, or even function, I believe therapy is a resource that would benefit you. In my experience the best approach to anxiety involves an understanding of what anxiety is, why we have it, where it comes from, how it can serve as a protector, and how we can learn to have a new relationship with it.

Emerging Adults

If you are between the ages of 18 and 30, you are at the crossroads between two major life stages, with the primary tasks being the completion of adolescence and the launching of adulthood. During this period, it is common to experience a multitude of emotions including anxiety, fear, confusion, and self-doubt. Sometimes the remnants of unresolved childhood experiences linger within. Sometimes the weight of family trauma holds you back from being the version of yourself you aspire to be. Whether you are starting college, graduating, or entering the workforce; experiencing challenges associated with friendships and relationships, struggling with how to remain connected to your family while becoming your own autonomous self, therapy is a space for you to sort through these transitions and find a resolution that is both healing and empowering.

Relational distress 

I also have a passion for working with those who have experienced  harm within relationships including childhood abuse, intimate partner abuse, betrayal trauma, and family of origin conflict. I have extensive experience supporting those who are on their path toward healing, independence, and empowerment. 

Approach

I incorporate a wide variety of modalities in my work including person centered, cognitive behavioral, narrative, somatic, family systems, solution focused, and  strengths based approaches. I create an environment that encourages a healthy exploration of one’s family upbringing and the impact of childhood on identity development and interpersonal dynamics. Healing involves examining our experiences and patterns from a new point of view that we attain through maturity, wisdom, and overcoming challenges. Together we will deconstruct unhealthy cycles of emotions, cognitions, and behaviors and create new, healthier patterns.  We will focus on healing the mind, heart, body and soul. Our goal in therapy is  to decrease feelings of shame and powerlessness and strengthen our internal and external resources. 

Education, License, Certificates and Professional Associations 

I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree in psychology from California State University, Long Beach (2007) and a Master of Arts Degree in Clinical Psychology: Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University (2009). I have a License in Marriage and Family Therapy through the Board of Behavioral Sciences of the state of California (#97679). I have a Domestic Violence Training Certificate (2008) that I received from 1736 Family Crisis Center, and a Certificate in Latin American Family Therapy (2013) from Alliant University, Mexico City campus. I have completed  Level I of The Trauma Resiliency Model (Trauma Resource Institute, 2018) and Beginning Levels I, II, & III of Somatic Experiencing (Somatic Experiencing International, 2022). I am a Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional (ICATP, 2019). I am in the process of completing my training in Exposure Response Prevention.  I am a member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT).