As a person-focused therapist, I understand the unique pressure that comes with dedicating your life to serving others, especially as a woman of color in a demanding field like healthcare. You are incredibly empathetic, goal-oriented, and excel at your job, yet you are privately battling a powerful sense of inadequacy, constant anxiety, and the exhausting habit of people-pleasing. You're tired of caring too much about what others think, and you worry that you'll repeat painful family cycles of instability and low worth.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
Because I understand that many struggles—like low confidence, perfectionism, and high anxiety—are rooted in past experiences and systemic issues like racism, we will talk about context. I want to understand the external pressures and the family history (including the impact of narcissistic or immature parents) that have led you to feel the need to appear perfect or inadequate. We will discuss what you’ve tried in the past and what you liked or disliked about previous therapy experiences. This helps me tailor my approach so you never feel like you're getting a "cookie-cutter" method.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
At its heart, my practice is truly person-focused, which means I reject "cookie-cutter methods." What stands out is my commitment to seeing you within your specific context. This means I always acknowledge the immense pressure, often related to systemic issues like racial trauma, and the unique demands you face. I create a space where you can feel profoundly seen, heard, and understood. If you've felt judged or unheard by past therapists, you'll find that I am intentionally not cold, burnt out, or formal. I am committed to being honest and real, providing a non-shaming environment for us to explore difficult truths, especially those involving your family dynamics.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
You're an expert at your job, but you feel like an imposter. You struggle with a constant feeling of low confidence, believing you are incompetent despite evidence to the contrary. You're exhausted by people-pleasing and perfectionism. You care far too much about what others think of you, which makes setting boundaries feel impossible and leads to high anxiety.You're carrying historical family weight. You know your struggles with self-worth and instability are deeply rooted in family trauma, past relationships, and the painful impact of immature or narcissistic parenting. You feel isolated by the specific challenges of being a person of color in your professional field. You are a dedicated achiever. You are goal-oriented, work hard, and value service to others, honesty, and justice. You are an intuitive, kind, and emotionally sensitive person. You are ready for true change. You are terrified that if you stay the same, you will never break the cycles of family trauma, never achieve financial or relational stability, and never truly feel appreciated. You want to feel confident, stable, and acknowledged. More than anything, you want to stop believing untrue thoughts about yourself. Your core goal is to live independently, have a stable and appreciative relationship, and be acknowledged for your hard work and competence. If this sounds like you, I'm here to help you move from being held back by fear and external validation to confidently owning your worth and setting healthy, sustainable boundaries.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use CBT to offer clients the tangible skills needed to interrupt the pattern of overthinking and perfectionism that fuels their anxiety. We will identify and challenge the automatic negative thoughts (ANTs)—like "I'm going to look incompetent" or "Other people are being unkind to me"—that keep you awake at night. We learn to evaluate the evidence for these thoughts and replace them with more balanced, truthful perspectives.
Strength-Based
I have used the strength-based framework to help high-achieving clients recognize that their current challenges are often a misapplication of their greatest strengths. We won't just focus on the problems; we'll focus on your inherent resilience and competence.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
As a person-focused therapist, I see client-centered therapy as the foundation for creating the safe, non-judgmental space you need. I utilize PCT to foster a deeply collaborative and non-hierarchical relationship. I believe you are the expert on your own life, and my role is not to impose solutions but to illuminate your path. I bring my genuine self into the room, fostering a direct, trusting, and human connection.