(she/her)
New to Grow
I am a multilingual clinical social worker and educator with over 30 years of experience supporting individuals through trauma, life transitions, identity development, and relational challenges. My approach is grounded in cultural humility, compassion, and evidence‑based practice, blending CBT, ACT, trauma‑informed care, and integrative methods to meet each client where they are. I believe healing happens in a safe, collaborative space where clients feel seen, empowered, and supported in moving toward a life aligned with their values.
In our first session, my focus is on getting to know you—your story, your strengths, and what brings you to therapy at this point in your life. We’ll move at a pace that feels comfortable, exploring your goals, your concerns, and what you hope to gain from our work together. I’ll ask thoughtful, open‑ended questions to understand your background, cultural context, and the patterns you’ve noticed in your thoughts, emotions, and relationships. You’ll also have space to ask questions, share what you need from me as your therapist, and discuss what helps you feel safe and supported. By the end of the session, we’ll begin shaping a collaborative plan for moving forward, grounded in trust, clarity, and a sense of direction.
My greatest strengths as a therapist come from my ability to create a safe, grounded, and culturally responsive space where clients feel genuinely seen and understood. I draw from a wide range of evidence‑based approaches—CBT, ACT, trauma‑informed care, and integrative methods—and tailor them to each client’s unique needs, values, and lived experiences. I bring deep empathy, strong clinical intuition, and over three decades of experience to help clients make meaningful connections, build practical skills, and move toward lasting change. Clients often share that they appreciate my warmth, my ability to listen without judgment, and my commitment to helping them feel empowered and supported throughout their healing journey.
My ideal clients are individuals who are ready to engage in meaningful self‑reflection and are open to exploring how their thoughts, emotions, identities, and lived experiences shape their current challenges. I work best with clients who may be navigating trauma, anxiety, relationship patterns, cultural or identity‑based stressors, or major life transitions, and who value a therapeutic space grounded in safety, cultural humility, and collaboration. My dream clients are motivated to grow, willing to try evidence‑based strategies like CBT and ACT, and interested in integrating mindfulness, values‑based work, and trauma‑informed care into their healing. They appreciate an integrative approach that honors their cultural background, personal strengths, and spiritual or faith‑based perspectives when relevant. Most importantly, my ideal clients are seeking not just symptom relief but a deeper sense of empowerment, clarity, and alignment with the life they want to build.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
In my clinical practice, I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help clients identify the connections between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. During sessions, I guide clients in recognizing cognitive distortions, exploring the beliefs that fuel them, and practicing more balanced and adaptive ways of thinking. I also incorporate skill‑building—such as problem‑solving, emotional regulation, and communication strategies—to support clients in applying these insights in real‑life situations. Over time, CBT allows clients to develop greater self‑awareness and a stronger sense of control over their responses and coping patterns.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
In my practice, I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help clients build psychological flexibility by learning to make space for difficult thoughts and emotions rather than struggling against them. I guide clients through mindfulness‑based strategies that increase present‑moment awareness and support acceptance of internal experiences. Together, we clarify personal values and identify small, meaningful actions that move them toward the life they want to live. ACT allows clients to shift from avoidance to engagement, strengthening their ability to respond to challenges with intention rather than reactivity.
Culturally Sensitive Therapy
In my practice, I use culturally sensitive therapy by intentionally creating space for clients’ cultural identities, values, and lived experiences to guide the therapeutic process. I work to understand how factors such as race, language, gender, faith, and family systems shape each client’s worldview, and I adapt my interventions—whether CBT, ACT, or other modalities—to align with their cultural context. I approach each session with cultural humility, asking open‑ended questions, checking my assumptions, and collaborating with clients to ensure that treatment feels respectful, relevant, and empowering. This approach strengthens trust and allows clients to engage more fully in the work.
Integrative
In my practice, I use an integrative therapeutic approach that allows me to draw from multiple evidence‑based modalities—such as CBT, ACT, and culturally sensitive frameworks—to meet each client’s unique needs. I assess what the client is experiencing in the moment and flexibly combine interventions, whether that means using cognitive restructuring, mindfulness‑based acceptance strategies, or culturally grounded exploration of identity and context. This approach helps me tailor treatment so clients feel seen, supported, and empowered, while still benefiting from structured, goal‑oriented therapeutic methods. Integrative practice allows me to remain responsive and holistic, ensuring that therapy aligns with the client’s values, strengths, and lived experiences.
Trauma Informed Care
In my practice, I use a trauma‑informed approach by prioritizing emotional and physical safety, building trust, and pacing interventions in a way that respects each client’s readiness. I work to understand how past trauma shapes current patterns of thinking, feeling, and relating, and I integrate grounding, regulation, and empowerment strategies throughout the therapeutic process. I also maintain a stance of transparency and collaboration, helping clients regain a sense of control while honoring their strengths, cultural identities, and lived experiences. This approach ensures that all interventions—whether CBT, ACT, or integrative methods, are delivered with sensitivity to the impact of trauma and the need for safety and choice.