Licensed to practice in California and accepts 9 insurances. Specializes in Family Conflict, Mood Disorders, Trauma and PTSD and 1 more.
(she/her)
New to Grow
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 24 years of clinical experience helping adolescents and adults heal from trauma, strengthen relationships, and create meaningful change in their lives. I specialize in working with individuals affected by domestic violence, emotional, physical, mental, and sexual abuse, childhood neglect, PTSD, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and life transitions. Throughout my career, I have worked in nonprofit community mental health settings in a variety of leadership and clinical roles, including Clinical Director and Clinical Supervisor, while maintaining a private practice since 2010. Since 2019, I have focused primarily on private practice and genuinely enjoy the opportunity to build meaningful therapeutic relationships and support clients through their healing and growth. My approach is compassionate, direct, intuitive, and empowering. I believe people are resilient and capable of change when provided with the right support, tools, and insight. Together, we work to understand how past experiences continue to affect present-day thoughts, emotions, relationships, and decision-making, while developing practical strategies to improve self-worth, restore functioning, and achieve personal, educational, career, and relationship goals. I strive to create a safe, respectful, and nonjudgmental space where clients feel heard and understood. Drawing from a variety of evidence-based approaches, I tailor treatment to each client's unique needs, strengths, cultural background, and life experiences. My goal is to help clients move beyond survival, reclaim their sense of self, and build healthier, more fulfilling lives.
The first session is an intake and assessment session designed to help us get to know one another and determine whether we are a good fit for working together. I will introduce myself, review confidentiality and informed consent, answer any questions you may have about the therapy process, and invite you to ask any questions about me, my approach, or my experience. We will discuss what brings you to therapy, what you are hoping to accomplish, and what qualities you are looking for in a therapist. I am also interested in learning about any previous therapy experiences, including what approaches, styles, or interventions have been helpful—or unhelpful—for you in the past. The first session is an opportunity to begin building rapport while I gather information about your current concerns, personal history, relationships, strengths, and goals. We will review any assessment or screening measures you have completed and discuss how your symptoms may be affecting different areas of your life. I encourage clients to begin wherever they feel most comfortable. As you share your story, I will ask questions to better understand your experiences and gain a deeper understanding of what may be contributing to the challenges you are facing. My approach is to listen carefully, identify patterns and themes, and connect the pieces of your story in a way that helps create a meaningful understanding of your concerns and informs an effective treatment plan moving forward.
What distinguishes my approach is the breadth and depth of my clinical experience, combined with a genuine commitment to ongoing growth as both a clinician and a person. Over the past 20 years, I have worked in nonprofit community mental health settings in a variety of roles, including therapist, Clinical Supervisor, and Clinical Director. These experiences have allowed me to work with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families facing a wide range of challenges, including trauma, domestic violence, addiction, foster care involvement, probation and court-related issues, severe mental health concerns, and complex family dynamics. In addition to providing direct services, I have supervised clinicians and multidisciplinary teams working with some of the most complex cases in community mental health. These experiences have given me a broad understanding of the systems that impact people's lives and the many ways individuals develop resilience in the face of adversity. My personal life experiences have also contributed to the therapist I am today. They have strengthened my resilience, courage, empathy, and determination to continue learning and growing. I bring both professional expertise and real-life understanding to the therapeutic relationship. My therapeutic style is flexible and attuned to each client's needs. I carefully gauge when a client needs space to process, when deeper exploration may be helpful, and when gentle challenge can support growth. I strive to balance allowing clients to lead their process while also providing guidance, insight, and direction when appropriate. The timing of these interventions is often informed by the strength of the therapeutic relationship and each client's readiness for change. I am committed to lifelong learning and continually seek advanced training to strengthen my clinical skills. I am currently pursuing advanced training in Somatic Experiencing and regularly engage in professional education through books, trainings, consultation, and expert-led learning opportunities. I believe in practicing many of the skills and tools I teach, which helps me bring authenticity and credibility to my work. I encourage honesty and openness in therapy and view the therapeutic relationship as a collaborative process. I also utilize clinical assessments and inventories to help track symptoms, monitor progress, and ensure treatment remains aligned with each client's goals. My aim is to provide a supportive, empowering, a
I am best positioned to serve adolescents and adults who have experienced trauma, including domestic violence, emotional abuse, physical abuse, mental abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and other adverse life experiences. Many of my clients seek therapy to reduce the impact of trauma, restore daily functioning, improve emotional well-being, and strengthen their ability to manage relationships, work, education, and personal goals. I also work with clients experiencing conflict in relationships with partners, family members, friends, or colleagues who are seeking healthier communication, problem-solving skills, conflict resolution, and greater peace in their lives. Additionally, I support adult children who continue to experience the effects of childhood abuse, neglect, or dysfunctional family dynamics, particularly when ongoing interactions with caregivers remain hostile, critical, manipulative, or emotionally harmful. In these cases, therapy focuses on healing unresolved wounds, developing healthy boundaries, increasing self-worth, and utilizing empowerment-based strategies to help clients protect themselves while navigating current relationships.
Other specialties
I identify as
EMDR
I use EMDR to help clients process and reprocess traumatic experiences, reduce emotional distress, and resolve trauma-related symptoms. EMDR supports the brain's natural healing process, helping clients improve functioning, build resilience, and enhance overall emotional well-being.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
I use SFBT to help clients identify strengths, clarify goals, and develop practical solutions to current challenges. This approach supports problem-solving, decision-making, motivation, conflict resolution, and personal growth by focusing on achievable steps toward desired outcomes.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use CBT to help clients identify and change unhelpful thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors that contribute to emotional distress. CBT supports improved coping skills, emotional regulation, problem-solving, and healthier patterns of thinking and behavior.
Trauma-Focused CBT
I use TF-CBT to help clients process traumatic experiences, reduce trauma-related symptoms, and develop healthy coping skills. This approach supports emotional regulation, cognitive restructuring, resilience, and the restoration of daily functioning and overall well-being.
Eclectic
I use an eclectic approach that integrates evidence-based therapeutic modalities tailored to each client's unique needs, goals, and circumstances. This flexible approach draws from various treatment methods to support symptom reduction, personal growth, improved coping, healthier relationships, and enhanced daily functioning.