Finding a therapist to work with is a challenging task. It’s time consuming. Finding the right therapist, a therapist that you believe is a good fit for you, is even more challenging. I’m going to tell you more about myself and my background to help you decide if I could be the right fit for you.
I take a humanistic and person-centered approach to therapy. In humanistic psychology the belief is that each person is a distinct, individual being. A humanistic approach focuses on understanding ourselves and our complex emotions in relation to the broader aspects of our lives including relationships, career, family systems, and society. In non-clinical terms, I believe that our life experiences help shape us and it’s important to understand how the emotions and thoughts derived from those experiences impact us in the present. It’s important to me that any prospective client knows that I value connection in the therapy room. I have always believed that the most important aspect of good or effective therapy is the therapeutic relationship held between therapist and client. If I want to help a potential client explore and understand complex emotions, thoughts, and experiences then it’s essential that they feel comfortable doing so. I pride myself on developing strong connections with my clients. Taking a person-centered approach to therapy means knowing that each individual client will process and experience emotions in a different way. I will utilize different therapeutic interventions based on individual client
needs because I don’t think there is a one size fits all answer to progress.
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in the state of
California. In California, LMFT’s are governed by the Board of Behavioral Sciences. I received my Bachelors of Arts degree in Psychology and Social behavior from University of California, Irvine and I received my Masters of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Child Studies from Antioch University, Los Angeles. I have ten years of experience working in various mental health settings including residential, Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP)/Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP), community based, school based, and outpatient therapy centers. I have extensive experience working with issues related to self-injurious (also known as self-harming) behaviors, suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety, different forms of abuse, sexual assault, body image, and gender identity and/or sexuality exploration.
I also have extensive experience working with teenagers and young adults ranging from ages 13 to 22. I worked in Eating Disorder specific programs for multiple years where I was a Primary Therapist, but also led therapy groups focused on self-compassion
and body image.
I developed passion in certain areas based on a mixture of my professional and personal experiences. My passion for certain areas helped me develop my specialties and seek out in depth training in therapeutic interventions related to those specific specialties. My specialties are adolescent concerns (teenagers), trauma, eating disorders, body image issues, and anxiety. I am trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and Motivational Interviewing.
Now here’s some information about me personally:
I think that knowing a little bit about my hobbies and interests will help any potential client get a sense of the personality that comes with the person they will be seeing consistently in a professional setting. I enjoy seeing live music, dancing, outdoor activities, beaches, traveling, reading, binge watching television, and spending time with family and friends. I am a fan of sports, primarily soccer and basketball. I am also a big fan of Disney and Harry Potter so I of course love to visit Disneyland and Wizarding World. You will find Disney decor in my office including wall art and blankets. You will also find a whiteboard where clients can write down their favorite or even relatable song lyrics.
