New to Grow
I am a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist with fifteen years of experience working with adolescents, adults and seniors. My approach is client-centered and solution-focused, while the main modalities that I use in my practice are Dialectical Behavior Therapy and ACT. I specialize in working with adults and older adults in recovery from substance abuse/addiction, adjusting to changes in physical health, relationships, grief and end-of-life. I firmly believe that everybody has innate worth and potential to discover, recover, and heal, which is enhanced and refined within the safety of a non-judgmental therapeutic relationship. As a therapist, I offer you my reflection, understanding, perspective, evidence-based interventions and patience while we process your thoughts, emotions and sensations together
I genuinely welcome you to my practice and we will set the foundation for a trusting, safe relationship. We will begin with an introductory conversation, where I’ll take the time to understand your background, concerns, and therapy goals. During this first session, I invite you to share with me what has caused you to seek therapy at this time, and what your expectations are. I will also explain my therapeutic approach and how we can work together to address your needs. We will discuss confidentiality and safety; in order to build rapport and ensure you feel comfortable to ask any questions you may have. By the end of our session, we’ll begin to outline a personalized plan for your journey ahead and what our future sessions might look like. Overall, I aim to create a supportive foundation for you to explore and work toward your goals.
As a therapist, I have worked with a broad spectrum of populations in a variety of settings and circumstances. My therapeutic approach has evolved from the textbook academics that were taught in graduate school and has been refined through the breadth of experience I have had. I adapt and integrate the therapeutic skills from concepts into lived practices, and my approach is not theoretical. I started learning Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) while working within a county mental health program and have used it in substance abuse treatment centers, with adults and older adults with severe mental illness and with older adults in a senior peer support program. I find DBT to be accessible to everybody, and core mindfulness as the launch pad to explore other modalities. I have found that ACT's approach, which is also founded in mindfulness, is gentle and healing when making changes seems impossible. My approach is person-centered, as I view clients as individuals, honoring their past experiences, current presentation, and anticipations for the future. I embody the skills of mindfulness being non-judgmental, focused and effective while modeling compassion, confidence and humility. I believe that we gain wisdom through processing and understanding experiences, and each therapy session that I provide becomes a place for wisdom to grow.
I am passionate about serving adults and older adults navigating life transitions, specifically regarding physical and medical health changes and chronic illness. The conditions that aging adults face impact one's self-perception, worth and purpose. Receiving a diagnosis for a chronic illness or noticing that one's body and mind aren't functioning like they used to or one wants them to can cause feelings of grief, anger, despair, fear, and more. I help adults and older adults to learn more about the psychological effects of aging, recognize and utilize their abilities while respectfully honoring and accepting limits, ultimately designing a lifestyle which enhances one's self-respect and meaning.
Top specialties
Other specialties
I identify as
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
The four modules of core mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness are practical and accessible skills to build autonomy with oneself. In my practice, I use DBT to assist clients in understanding and experiencing mindfulness as the core of technique to make effective changes in behaviors, thoughts, emotions and relationships.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
ACT provides a framework to identify and focus on values rather than goals. I support clients in discovering and prioritizing their values in order to create a lifestyle in alignment with their values and living with integrity, which reduces the feelings of stress, pressure and judgment based on the perceived "success" or "failure" of achieving desired outcomes.
Motivational Interviewing
Motivational Interviewing is a method that encourages the client to be the lead in their treatment, where my role is to provide perspective through reflection, open-ended questions and developing discrepancies. In my practice, I use Motivational Interviewing to explore the client's thoughts and feelings with curiosity to seek genuine understanding.