Who am I?

I’m a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) who deeply cares about contributing to a better world for you, myself, our communities, and the earth. I specialize in helping individuals heal from an intersectional-, social-justice-, and trauma- informed lens (I’m happy to explain any of these terms if you aren’t familiar!). I am a somatic, integrative therapist, meaning I use different techniques to include all the mind, body, and soul.

My top priority is creating a safe, collaborative space to support you in meeting your therapy goals! I intuitively pull from different therapy modalities (types) to support you on your unique journey, including but not limited to relational, humanistic/transpersonal, Somatic Experiencing (SE), the Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and experiential. If all these acronyms mean nothing, that’s totally okay! I’m always happy to talk about what the work is we are doing together and answer any questions. 

Education and Experience

  • I received my B.A. in Sociology from California State University Long Beach, and my M.A. in Counseling Psychology from National University.

  • My MFT license is through California’s Board of Behavioral Sciences (License #123087).

  • Outside of my private practice, I have worked in a variety of settings, including residential facilities, partial hospitalization/intensive outpatient care, community mental health, admissions, and mental health start-ups. All my professional and personal experiences have contributed to my work as a clinician, and I share (appropriately) when I think it will be helpful to my client. 

  • I continue to pursue additional therapeutic training, including Somatic Experiencing (currently entering my intermediate year), Trauma Resiliency Model/TRM (somatic therapy; both levels completed), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/CBT through the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (Diplomate/certified), and other trainings for Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Motivational Interviewing.

  • I am affiliated with the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT), the Long Beach chapter of CAMFT, and Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement.

Specialities

  • Sarah McLachlan commercials make me tear up immediately. A lifelong animal lover, I have a deep empathy for the love and impact our non-human companions have on us. We live in a world where not everyone understands this connection, and loss of a loved pet or furry (or feathered or scaly) baby can be misunderstood and feel isolating. Having similar values in this area can deepen a relationship and understanding between humans. I have professional training on grief/loss/ambiguous loss as a psychotherapist, as well as extensive personal experience of having deep connections with and losing beloved animals. I am a member of the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement. Long before entering the mental health realm, I worked as a shelter intern for Farm Sanctuary, and worked/volunteered with animals in smaller capacities. I have worked with animal lovers and animal workers, and it’s an area of work I really love to support.

  • I have supported many women-identified clients in getting in touch with their relationship with gender and how they want to best live their lives. This includes:

    • Relationship issues (impact of gender roles and expectations, division of finances/labor/parenting, inter-relational trauma, communication issues)

    • Discrimination or trauma in relationship to gender identity

    • Impact of differing personal goals and cultural expectations

    • Reproductive health/issues (fertility/infertility, abnormal/irregular menstruation, abortion/termination, pregnancy, miscarriage/pregnancy loss, postpartum, peri-post menopause)

    • Body image (bullying, identity, changes, body acceptance)

    • Sexuality

    • Impact of motherhood/parenthood on identity

    • Navigating the decision to enter parenthood and choosing to be childfree.

    I draw from professional training on gender/women's studies, academic study of gender/intersectional feminism, and personal experience as a woman-identified person. I work from an intersectional- and trauma-informed lens.

  • Modern dating and relationship dynamics can be extremely overwhelming. I draw from my professional training as a marriage and family therapist to support my clients in navigating this part of life. I draw from personal experience to lend perspective where appropriate. I also support individuals in managing relationships with family members, friends, and colleagues/work-related contacts. I can support you in learning to better communicate, getting a professional perspective, and holding boundaries within your relationships.