LCSW-C, 10 years of experience
New to Grow
I'd describe myself as being a genuine, compassionate and warm therapist who can still be direct and challenge you when necessary. I like to take a creative approach to your treatment goals, incorporating bits and pieces of things I think may be helpful, BUT I like to let my clients guide sessions as much as possible, so I frequently check in to see where you need to go on any given day, while also steering us toward productive areas.
During our first session, I'll be asking you questions to get to know you better and to figure out what your goals for therapy will be. I welcome you to ask me any questions that will help you figure out if we're a good fit or that might make you feel more comfortable with me. I know first sessions can feel overwhelming so I like to keep it as informal and conversational as possible, and I always let my clients decide if there are things they don't feel comfortable talking about. We can go at your pace.
I have 10 years of experience as a therapist now and although this makes me feel pretty old, I can proudly say I've grown so much in those 10 years. I think my experience is my greatest strength as a mental health provider. I've worked with all kinds of issues, originally focusing on trauma and then deciding I wanted to work more with anxiety, OCD and perinatal mental health after I experienced my own struggles in these areas. When I get interested in a type of therapy I tend to go all in, so I completed some really extensive (and expensive!) trainings in OCD treatment and perinatal mental health issues. Feel free to ask me about my experience or training. All that stuff aside, I think who I am at my core is my second biggest strength - a calm, caring, somewhat quirky person who loves hearing people's stories. I'm a mom, friend, sister, ally and advocate with lots of life experience, which also shapes who I am as a therapist.
I like working with teens, young adults and people in their 30s who are open to learning new ways of thinking and managing their anxiety. I especially love being able to work with clients who are experiencing OCD, anxiety disorders and perinatal/postpartum mental health issues. I have lived experience in these areas that make me passionate about helping others through their own anxiety or perinatal challenges. I like working with LGBTQ people and immigrants as well as Spanish is my first language.
ACT can be very helpful for people with anxiety disorders and OCD to help them accept their intrusive thoughts rather than fight them, while also creating distance from the thoughts so they have less impact.
ERP is a type of CBT and the gold standard treatment for OCD. It can also be helpful for multiple kinds of anxiety disorders. I'm a graduate of the Behavior Therapy Training Institute with the International OCD Foundation, a cornerstone for ERP training. I've been treating OCD with ERP for 5+ years.
I've been using CBT for 10 years in the treatment of trauma and anxiety-related disorders.
I've been working with trauma survivors for 10 years. I've completed many trainings in the treatment of trauma including a certificate program and over 100 hours with the Ferentz Institute.
I completed level 1 EMDR training and occasionally use this modality with trauma survivors. It isn't the main modality I use with clients, though.