As you embark on your journey, therapy can provide a safe and supportive space to explore, understand and challenge life experiences that shape our identities and perceptions of the world. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with years of experience working in the heart of Chicago, providing therapy and other clinical services to individuals struggling with severe mental illness and addiction, I approach therapy from a holistic and multicultural perspective. As a Mexican and Filipino American woman, I draw on my personal experiences to better understand how cultural factors influence our perceptions of ourselves and the world around us. My goal is to build a respectful and collaborative partnership with my clients to support them on their journey towards healing and self-discovery. I firmly believe in addressing presenting issues by understanding the whole person, rather than just focusing on the problem. Using a strengths-based approach, along with evidence-based practices such as CBT, DBT, EMDR, mindfulness, and psychodynamic approaches, I work with my clients to identify thought patterns, regulate emotions, and build self-awareness to foster healing and self-compassion. I earned my Master of Social Work degree with a concentration in Mental Health from the Jane Addams College of Social Work, and have worked in a variety of settings, including residential care for addiction, outpatient addiction treatment facilities, and community mental health care. My diverse experiences and training have enabled me to build a creative work space that centers the person as a whole, providing a healing space where individuals can feel heard, honored, and understood.