Hi there, I’m Arianna- a licensed clinical social worker in the California Bay Area. I received my Master's of Social Work from UC Berkeley in 2011 and my LCSW in 2017. I am passionate about helping people develop the insights and skills needed to lead more connected, peaceful, and fulfilling lives. My own experiences in a multicultural family and as a mom of young kids make me especially passionate about work with intercultural relationship challenges, perinatal anxiety and depression, and parenting stress. I also have over 12 years of experience working with young adults with chronic illness and disabilities transitioning to work, college, and independent living. My style is strengths based/ humanistic and eclectic, but I enjoy using a mix of dialectical behavior therapy skills work, compassion focus, motivational interviewing, CBT, and brief solutions focus - depending on what my client needs. I always keep a trauma- informed approach to my work, as the adverse events across your lifespan influence your well being today.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
In our first session together, we will have brief introductions and I will invite you to discuss the social, environmental and cultural factors that you feel are relevant to who you are. Then we will dive deeply into the issues you are facing so we can construct a plan for our future work together. Please know that this "plan" is not prescriptive- you are in charge of this process, and we can work on whatever is bothering you in the given moment of our session together, keeping the bigger picture in mind as we do.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
In my 12 years as a clinical social worker (and 6 of those as a licensed provider), I have developed a strongly humanistic style that allows clients to build skills in a safe and supportive environment that nurtures self compassion and maximizes self-efficacy. My work is informed by evidence based behavioral therapy techniques and by our specific client-therapist relationship. I am honored to partner with you in your journey to feeling better.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I love working with young adults- 18 through thirties- who are experiencing emotional and interpersonal challenges and transitions. Maybe you have just moved towns or arrived at college, and you feel alone in a sea of new people. Or perhaps you are finding the cultural expectations and values of your family are misaligned with your own, and it is causing conflict. You may have a chronic illness or disability that interferes with socializing at work or school. Or you might be a new parent, overwhelmed by emotions, intrusive thoughts, and the demands of parenting. There is also a chance that you have not experienced some major life transition- maybe you are just tired of feeling overwhelmed by fear, anger or sadness and you need a better way to deal with your emotions. These very different scenarios all share the common thread of requiring you to build new skills to work effectively with your thoughts, feelings, and other people. I can be your co-pilot in this process, creating a safe and compassionate place for you to explore and grow.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
If you struggle with overwhelming emotions, harmful urges to deal with emotional pain, and/or difficulty building healthy interpersonal relationships, working in the framework of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy can be incredibly helpful. Working together in DBT-informed individual therapy, I can serve you with stand alone treatment, or with individual therapy complementary to participation in DBT skills group. I have been a DBT group psychotherapist in an intensive outpatient program.
Multicultural
The mismatched values, beliefs, and expectations that exist between first and second generation immigrant family members, partners from different cultural backgrounds, and for employees or students in an unfamiliar cultural work or school landscape can cause stress, conflict and isolation. I have over 11 years of experience as a clinical social worker serving clients who are struggling with these cultural issues, and I draw on my own lived experience to partner with you in navigating challenging cultural conflicts and the pain of feeling "unseen". Using a compassionate and humanistic lense on historical context, self validation practices, and interpersonal effectiveness skills training in the style of DBT, we can help you find the "middle path" of honoring your own experience while empathically being with others.
Motivational Interviewing
I have over 12 years of experience using motivational interviewing with clients who are working toward change in health care settings. Whether you are struggling with adherence to medical treatment, making a relationship or work decision, or abstaining from harmful behaviors; we can partner to explore ambivalence and readiness so that you are empowered to act from your own internal drive.
Trauma Informed Care
I have worked in trauma for over 12 years, and have training as a trauma informed clinical professional. Averse events though your lifetime affect you in all areas- emotions, behaviors, thoughts and physical well being. I work with clients to ensure safety, re-process painful past experiences, and develop strong coping skills
Humanistic
I take a strengths-based and client centered approach in all my work- including that of skill development and behavior change. I strive to ensure my clients feel supported and deeply valued in the space we share, as this builds your own self worth, trust, and sense of efficacy in the decisions you make.