LCSW, 2 years of experience
I am a Latina bilingual immigrant who has a License in Clinical Social Work. My educational background consists of a master’s degree in social work from California State University and a master’s degree in Gerontology from La Verne University. I have experience working as a social worker for twenty-three years in various professional settings including foster care family agencies, non-profit healthcare organizations, social services agencies, and federally qualified health centers. I am fluent in Spanish, and I practice with cultural competence and humility. I have a profound understanding of Latinos who are both native-born and foreign-born. As a Latina immigrant, I have had the advantage of having first-hand knowledge of the Latino population's diversified array of cultural beliefs, socioeconomic classes, levels of education and acculturation, and attitudes toward participating in mental health services.
Clients can expect to benefit from a supportive alliance with me as their therapist taking place in a safe no-judgmental environment in which they can be vulnerable and freely voice their thoughts My style is based on a collaborative approach founded on the unique needs of each individual seeking therapy. Interventions come from a whole-person perspective taking into consideration each person’s values, culture, and racial/ethnic background. My goal is to form a therapeutic alliance to help individuals develop a better understanding of themselves and identify what they require to generate the change needed to reach a better quality of life. and emotions.
I am a generalist therapist, I use an integrative approach to therapy based on an adaptation of various evidence-based treatment modalities. I have received training in Motivational Interviewing, PST (Problem-Solving Therapy), CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), SFBT (Solution-Focused Brief Therapy), MBCT (Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy), CAGCS (Advanced Grief Counseling Specialist) and DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy).
Although I have experience serving clients from birth to older age, I currently practice helping adults and older adults. I have extensive training in dementia care and I can help caregivers of someone suffering from dementia navigate the progression of this neurological condition and access the support they need to maintain a healthy balance as much as possible. I enjoy helping clients from diverse cultures, and racial and ethnic backgrounds.