LMHC, 15 years of experience
New to Grow
I was born in Managua, Nicaragua but moved to the United States at a young age. I can say that I’ve learned to appreciate, value, and grow from every experience given in life. Good or bad experiences can potentially shape who we are. They can impact our view and perspective about life, and make us stronger to overcome challenges we face throughout our journey or disable us temporarily, making the journey less enjoyable and pleasing. I always had a strong desire to help others. I found in Psychology and Therapy a good option to provide others the needed tools to move forward, so they can find within them the strength to push toward a better and more productive lifestyle. I view therapy as a safe place to explore relationships, whether those relationships are with people (family, co-workers, partner) or things (food, money, alcohol). I also feel an important part of therapy is addressing the social, economic, and cultural influences on a person.
During our first session, we will talk about your experiences with therapy, concerns and expectations. I will go over my approach and how It can be helpful and align to your journey. I will remind you again that we dont have to talk right away of anything that you dont feel comfortable sharing with me yet. Therapeutic relationship some times can take some time :)
I work from a somatic, psychodynamic approach along with using some cognitive behavioral therapy skill to help you identify patterns that interfere with your thinking process and become more aware of your sensations and feelings connected to memories or negative thinking
My career as a therapist has included working in diverse range of settings: elementary, middle and high schools, community mental health centers, sexual assault agency and private practice as well. These places offered me the opportunity to gain experience working with a variety of issues including abuse, depression, anxiety, anger, low self-esteem, adjustment and acculturation issues. I have a strong interest and passion for Perinatal and Postpartum mood disorders. I continue to expand my knowledge in this specific field because I feel it is one that our society is just recently getting more comfortable talking about and I continue to meet many “mamas” who struggle or have struggled with feelings of shame and guilt around pregnancy, prenatal grief and loss and/or postpartum depression/anxiety. I believe that a combination of a committed, cooperative, non-judgmental and compassionate approach alongside the use of psychotherapeutic methods that can be individualized to fit the client’s specific goals, feelings, behavior and experiences, can be very successful during the healing process.
CBT therapy benefits include developing healthier thinking patterns, improving emotional regulation, and learning practical coping strategies for a wide range of mental health challenges like depression, anxiety or trauma.
helping clients identify and process race-based stressful experiences, fostering self-compassion and empowerment through culturally responsive approaches.
somatic therapy can help clients regulate their nervous systems, reduce stress, and enhance self-awareness.