LCSW, 9 years of experience
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Actor, helping people find their truest and most joyful self-expression, and helping clients get connected to their passion and excitement for life! I received a Master's in Social Work (MSW) from the NYU Silver School of Social Work, and a B.A. in Communications (Theatre & Music Theatre Major) from Northwestern University. I have been a professional actor, teaching artist and improvisor for 14 years, and in addition to eclectic therapeutic modalities (CBT, ACT, Mindfulness, Psychodynamics), I incorporate drama, theatre and comedy in my work as a therapist and social worker. Outside of operating a private practice and serving as an LCSW in non-profits in CA and NY, I continue to be a professional actor around the country, dance salsa and hip hop, and sing in the Oakland Interfaith Community Choir!
In our first session, I will listen and understand what challenges you are facing, and aim to work collaboratively to adapt my methods to your specific situation and unique desires. If you want more or less structure, we can discuss the best therapeutic plan. I also will allow for an organic, safe and open space to explore any emotions that you may want to bring into the space, and provide therapeutic insights and observations as they arise. My aim is to approach your specific situation to meet your needs and goals for therapy.
As someone who has an eclectic life experience, in the realm of expressive arts (improvisation, acting, singing, dancing, comedy) as well as nonprofit social work, I am uniquely positioned to understand the many complex factors impacting each client, and ignite passion and zeal for life in my clients. I am extremely malleable and adaptive to each client's needs--I provide a warm and loving space, and incorporate the importance of joy in my therapeutic philosophy. My approach is strength-based, and I am a facilitator, aiming to bring forth a sense of agency and empowerment in the people I have the privilege of meeting!
I work collaboratively with individuals and couples to discover what might be getting in the way of them living their fullest, most ignited and fulfilling life. I adapt the therapeutic modalities I utilized to the needs of those I am working with, depending on what can best be utilized to unlock balance, peace and joy! One person may need only a few sessions, and benefit from a solution-focused therapeutic container, while another might value a longer-term psychotherapeutic relationship. My areas of focus are depression and anxiety; gender identity, sexuality and expression; gender-affirming care; substance use disorders/addiction; eating disorders; couples and healthy communication; and relationships/complex family dynamics.
Clients who have battled depression and anxiety have especially benefited from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This approach provides a structure to examining how certain automatic and irrational thought patterns lead to challenging emotions. CBT offers a method for recording, analyzing, and reframing these thoughts to reduce depression and anxiety and any thought patterns that are no longer serving one's peace and contentment.
I believe that compassion, especially loving-kindness toward the self is one of the most important practices for well-being. I find that many clients face a lack of self-value, which can lead to perfectionism and a belief of needing to prove one's worth. I emphasize the idea that we are all valuable inherently, and incorporate this concept with warmth and unconditional acceptance in all of my client relationships.
An important technique in psychotherapy I utilize is mindfulness. Mindfulness is evident and foundational to many psychotherapeutic modalities that have developed over the years. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) are two that utilize the concepts of mindfulness. Presence and acceptance of all emotions that arise, without trying to control or deny them, is an important element to many treatment modalities. I have witnessed the power of mindfulness in opening up an allowance for emotions to arise and be felt fully, which is powerful in the process of uncovering and healing psychic wounds, identify irrational beliefs and uncover negative thought patterns. I have learned from many teachers, including Pema Chodron, John Kabat-Zin and Tich Nacht Han, the importance of unconditional acceptance of oneself, others, and our present conditions.
I am naturally malleable to each unique client's needs, and adapt my practices and techniques based on the client I am working with. I utilize many different modalities, based on what will be most beneficial to the personality and heart of each individual, such as CBT, ACT, REBT, and Mindfulness. As a longtime improvisor, actor, comedian and teaching artist, I have witnessed and experienced first-hand the impact of theatre and dramatic play in the therapeutic space, for building confidence, joy, freedom and openness. Whether through role-play, using characters to give voice to inner emotions, exploring past events through monologues and scenes, drama and theatre have the power to heal and allow for a safer way to examine the psyche. LGBTQIA+ clients have explored gender identity, expression, and sexual identity through dramatic play, in a loving and safe space. I believe that it is extremely important to experience joy, and to remember that feeling freedom to express one's deepest and most authentic self is a radical form of healing. We need to give ourselves permission to have fun, to be silly, and to break the rules!!! Kids are born instinctively knowing how to play, be present, and use their imaginations. Often adults have unlearned this natural ability, and I love to bring this sense of fun and play into sessions, when beneficial.
Psychodynamics takes into consideration unconscious mental processes (thoughts, desires, fears, past events and how the impact our psyche) on our current behavior and thought patterns. In talk-therapy I believe that there is an interrelationship between all of the inner workings of our minds and hearts and how we experience the world. As a therapist, I take all of these factors into consideration, in order to allow a client to explore and release any unhelpful patterns or unprocessed emotions that may be getting in the way of a client experiencing freedom, peace and contentment.