Education & Experience

My own interest in psychology and the helping professions was sparked in my early to mid-20’s when I developed chronic pain. It was not until my late 20’s that I realized the importance of the mind-body connection and found psychoeducation and therapy to be so helpful in my own journey of recovery that I could not wait to make it my career. I went back to school to obtain my Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Southern California, where I gained experience treating adults and adolescents in outpatient therapy. After graduating I worked as an emergency response clinician, where I had the privilege of helping vulnerable adults dealing with mental health crises, and later as a psychotherapist to foster children displaced from their families and homes, many of whom had histories of abuse, neglect, and complex trauma. My talents in working with hard-to-reach youth soon carried me over to another role of providing long-term and intensive psychotherapy to victims of commercial and sexual exploitation (human trafficking), which inspired me to receive additional clinical training in addiction, nutrition and mental health, dissociative symptoms, and neuroscience. The knowledge I gained has served me especially well in my private practice, as trauma is universal, though oftentimes the people who come to me for therapy do not fully understand why they feel so overwhelmed riding the waves of everyday life. Furthermore, they tell me that they feel stuck, and are unsure of how to move forward with respect to achieving their goals, strengthening their relationships, and advancing in their careers. If you feel that where you are is not where you’re meant to be, if you’re curious about your potential, or if you’re simply looking for tools and guidance to navigate the unknown, I am happy to aid you in your journey.