New to Grow
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family therapist who provides individual therapy, couples, and family therapy. I work with people from all cultural backgrounds. My job is to make you feel safe and comfortable in the therapy process and I always welcome feedback. Some of my specialties include working with people who are seeking support for depression, anxiety, ADHD, marital issues, transgenerational trauma, grief, and more. I identify as a Latino transgender man who takes pride in working with the LGBTQIA+ community. I grew up in Venice and Santa Monica for most of my life and dedicated it to playing sports, cooking, and connecting with people. I received a master’s degree in clinical psychology with a Marriage and Family Therapy emphasis and a B.A. in Psychology at UC Merced. I have worked with children, adolescent individuals, and older adults for the last 6 years. In addition to working for Grow, I currently work in community mental health to help the Latino community destigmatize mental health and heal from their traumas.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
Our first session will be an intake where I get to ask you questions about yourself and paperwork. But our first therapy session will be based on the treatment goals we develop together. I will assist you in identifying what the presenting problems and or goals are and utilize that to help guide us in our first sessions. I'm always open to feedback and will meet you where you are at as well. Session can be what you make it but if you need help, we can always focus on your goals!
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
I utilize pieces of every modality and will meet you where you at. I collaborate with you when it is time to challenge you on old beliefs and things that may not be serving you anymore. Some other strengths are that I have first hand experience with the current issues the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC community is facing. I am a therapist that is here to reassure you that you are not alone and provide a safe space to talk about the things that are hard to talk about in the day to day life.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
An ideal Client is anyone that shows up for themselves, is open minded to learning new ways to help themselves and is open to collaborating.
Eclectic
I use a mix of modalities that cater to each individual.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I utilize DBT skills as a way to help people ground themselves when experiencing life stressors, traumas, and help them feel more confident in themselves as they process their story.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Suicide Prevention (CBT-SP)
Certified in CBT and utilize this when appropriate to help a person reframe thought distortions, understand them, and reframe when ready.
Humanistic
Being person centered is my favorite type of therapy because it is collaborative and meeting a person where they are at is essential in treatment.