LCSW, 8 years of experience
Bienvenidas! I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) serving clients in California and Colorado. My practice is rooted in a fat liberation lens, which means I actively support you in dismantling internalized and societal fatphobia to cultivate a compassionate relationship with your body. I provide a nurturing space to process life transitions, career changes, burnout, and the journey of becoming a cycle-breaker—particularly within the BIPOC community. As a first-generation daughter of immigrants, I hold deep respect for those who are new to therapy or returning to it. My goal is to create a culturally-grounded, safe environment where you can heal and grow. I am also trained in Brainspotting, a powerful tool we can use to access and process deep emotional pain and trauma that traditional talk therapy may not reach.
Your first session is a time for us to connect, for me to listen, and for you to begin feeling what it might be like to work together. My primary goal is to ensure you feel safe, respected, and seen—never judged. A Warm, welcoming space. First and foremost, we are building a relationship. I know showing up can be vulnerable, especially if you're new to therapy or have had negative experiences in the past. I will be guiding our conversation with gentle questions to help us both understand what brings you in. You are always in the driver's seat; you can share as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. We'll talk about what brings you here. We'll discuss the challenges you're facing, whether it's burnout, navigating a career change, the weight of being a cycle-breaker, or struggles with body image and fatphobia. We'll also explore your hopes and goals: What would you like to be different in your life? What does healing look like for you? This is a collaborative process. This is your journey. By the end of our first meeting, we'll start to sketch out a loose plan for our work together. We'll discuss how my approaches—including Brainspotting—might help us address your specific goals. I'll answer any questions you have about the process, and we'll decide together if we feel like a good fit. There's no pressure to "get it all right." There is no perfect way to do therapy. You don't need to have it all figured out. Just showing up is the most important first step. I will hold this space for you with compassion and cultural humility, honoring the strength it took for you to get here. I look forward to meeting you.
My greatest strength is creating a deeply affirming, culturally-grounded sanctuary for healing where you don't have to edit your identity or experiences. My approach is distinct in three key ways: 1. My Practice is Rooted in Liberation, Not Just Treatment. I don't just offer therapy; I offer a partnership in liberation. My active, fat-liberation and social justice lens means we will directly confront and dismantle the impacts of systemic oppression—like fatphobia, generational trauma, and racial stress—as a core part of your healing journey. You can expect to be fully seen, celebrated, and empowered. 2. I Bridge the Gap Between Talk Therapy and Deep, Somatic Healing. While talk therapy helps us understand your story, I am skilled in Brainspotting to help you process it on a neurological level. This allows us to move beyond cognitive understanding to release the deep emotional pain, trauma, and somatic stress that talk therapy alone can't always reach, leading to more profound and lasting change. 3. I Specialize in Guiding "Cycle-Breakers" to Sustainable Change. As a first-gen professional myself, I have a unique affinity for helping high-achievers in the BIPOC community break cycles of burnout and trauma without losing their cultural identity. The result is not just symptom relief, but transformational growth: clients report feeling lighter, setting empowered boundaries, and stepping into their roles as leaders and healers in their families with resilience and purpose.
Are you feeling the weight of being the one who’s "breaking the cycle"? Maybe you're navigating a major career change, dealing with overwhelming burnout, or struggling to quiet that critical inner voice tied to body image and societal expectations. You want to feel empowered and at peace, but old patterns and unprocessed trauma keep getting in the way. I specialize in helping high-achieving BIPOC and first-gen professionals like you find their way back to themselves. My clients are often: · Driven individuals feeling the pressure of generational expectations and experiencing deep burnout. · Cycle-Breakers ready to heal inherited trauma so they can show up differently for themselves and their families. · Those navigating body image and want to ditch diet culture and fatphobia to cultivate genuine self-love and body acceptance. · Therapy newcomers who may feel hesitant and are seeking a safe, culturally-aware space where they don't have to explain their background. Together, we won't just talk about your problems—we'll process them on a deeper level. I am trained in Brainspotting, a powerful therapy that helps access and release the emotional and somatic roots of your pain, which often can't be reached by talk therapy alone. My approach is active, nurturing, and rooted in fat liberation and social justice. I believe in creating a partnership where you feel truly supported, seen, and empowered to create lasting change. If you're ready to heal from burnout, break free from cycles that no longer serve you, and build a more compassionate relationship with yourself, I would be honored to walk with you.
Brainspotting is a powerful, focused treatment method that works by identifying, processing and releasing core neurophysiological sources of emotional/body pain, trauma, dissociation and a variety of other challenging symptoms. Brainspotting gives us a tool, within this clinical relationship, to neurobiologically locate, focus, process, and release experiences and symptoms that are typically out of reach of the conscious mind and its cognitive and language capacity.
Ignoring cultural nuances can lead to misdiagnoses, ineffective treatment plans, and poor outcomes. Utilizing a culturally sensitive lens can aid in improved trust, increase communication and understanding in symptom expression and also acknowledging stigma and cultural norms.
Implementing somatic therapy cultivates an awareness of bodily sensations, and teaches clients to feel safe in their bodies while exploring thoughts, emotions, and memories which can be supportive to those who have historically felt disconnected from their body.
3 ratings with written reviews
May 7, 2025
I appreciate that Stephanie is really understanding and genuine, It's been great working with her! She has helped me in many ways, and I feel very comfortable with her.
May 2, 2025
Stephanie has been so helpful in working with me to provide space to explore all that's going on. I feel like I've grown so much while working with her - she provides the words and tools to help me manage the day to day anxieties as well as the other more difficult things to deal with.
April 30, 2025
Stephanie is an incredible asset to have in my corner. She lets me figure things out for myself while also helping guide me to a better place mentally. She is thorough and kind, and incredibly resourceful while remaining openminded. I appreciate her authentic self and how she is always direct with me if I'm being avoidant of certain topics.