In our first session together, here's what you can expect

Your first session is a chance for us to get to know each other and begin building a comfortable, supportive therapeutic relationship. We’ll talk about what brought you to therapy, your current concerns, and what you’re hoping to gain from this process. There’s no pressure to share everything at once—we’ll move at a pace that feels right for you. I’ll ask questions to better understand your background, experiences, and strengths, while also leaving space for you to ask questions and share what feels most important. Together, we’ll begin identifying goals for therapy and discuss how we can work toward them in a way that aligns with your values and needs. You can expect a collaborative, nonjudgmental environment where you feel heard, respected, and supported. Depending on your goals, we may also begin discussing practical tools or strategies you can start using between sessions. By the end of the session, you should have a clearer sense of what therapy with me will look like and feel confident about the next steps. My goal is for you to leave feeling more grounded, understood, and hopeful about the path forward.

The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions

One of my greatest strengths is creating a warm, collaborative, and nonjudgmental space where clients feel heard, supported, and empowered to explore their thoughts and emotions. My lived experience as a former Division I collegiate athlete, coach, and military kid—born overseas and attending grade school in Japan—gives me a unique perspective on high-pressure environments, transitions, cultural identity, and international experiences. I integrate an ecological perspective, considering how family, community, culture, and broader systems impact mental health and well-being. I blend evidence-based approaches—like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Motivational Interviewing, and person-centered therapy—to tailor treatment to each client’s unique needs, values, and goals. I work especially well with high achievers, athletes, leaders, first responders, and individuals navigating life changes or identity-related stress. I also incorporate multicultural and faith-based perspectives when relevant, ensuring therapy feels culturally responsive and personally meaningful. Clients often tell me that my ability to combine empathy, insight, and practical strategies helps them feel both understood and equipped to make meaningful, lasting change.

The clients I'm best positioned to serve

I am best positioned to support adolescents and adults who are motivated for growth and ready to better understand themselves, their patterns, and their next steps forward. Many of my clients experience anxiety, chronic stress, high-performance pressure, perfectionism, or feeling “stuck” during life transitions. I work especially well with high achievers, athletes, leaders, first responders, physicians, clinicians, practitioners, and professionals who are used to carrying a lot of responsibility but may struggle to slow down, set boundaries, or ask for support. I also support clients navigating identity concerns, cultural or race-based stress, grief, relationship challenges, and major life changes. My ideal clients are open to reflection, skill-building, and values-based growth. You may be seeking practical coping tools, emotional clarity, improved confidence, or a greater sense of balance and purpose. Some clients want to reduce anxiety or burnout, while others want to strengthen resilience, leadership skills, or alignment with what matters most to them. I also work with clients who want to integrate faith or spirituality into therapy in a respectful, client-led way. Whether your goal is healing, personal growth, or learning new ways to manage stress and emotions, I offer a supportive, collaborative space to help you move forward with intention and confidence.