Welcome to my page! I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist practicing in California. I completed my Masters from Hope International University and have been practicing over the last 5 years. Previously, I enjoyed a successful career as a Cytogenetic technologist, a science background in genetics that I feel adds to the science of the brain (psychology) to better support my clients. I absolutely love working with teens, adults and older adults supporting them in their worst moments of their lives to facilitate healing, develop healthy skills, and /or find their purpose in life.
You are very brave taking the first step, I acknowledge that! Now let me walk you through what to expect from the first appointment: I want to learn as much as possible about what you are experiencing and this may feel a bit uncomfortable to some. My goal is to make you feel as comfortable as possible while also gathering as much info as possible (the more I know, the better I can understand what it is that is happening and create a individualized plan).
My greatest strength is my empathy toward the person struggling and my connection to their pain or struggle. Empathy says "I am here with you". We heal through connection and understanding.
Cognitive behavioral therapy means that we look at the link between our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. CBT is evidenced based practice and can help people cope with current problems. By first identifying a limiting thought pattern or unhelpful behavior, we can then work on replacing them with more adapted and positive ones. CBT is very successful in treating depression, anxiety and addictive behaviors as well as phobias.
Dialectical behavior therapy teaches people skills to manage intense emotions, coping with very challenging situations, and improving interpersonal interactions. DBT is the idea that two opposite things can be true at the same time, provides a dual perspective of life challenges while empowering and bringing hope to people.
Positive psychology helps people reach their full potential. When clients are feeling stuck, positive psychology method helps in finding tools to improve wellbeing, and develop strategies to navigate challenges. End result of using positive psychology is that my clients are able to develop resilience, gratitude, identifying personal strengthens, developing confidence in themselves and their abilities and so forth. We all have strengths and I help my clients uncover them in themselves.