Education & Experience

I began working in LGBTQ+ mental health in 2019 as a group counselor at the first program in Orange County serving transgender clients with co-occurring trauma and substance use concerns. I earned my Master of Social Welfare (MSW) from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2022. Over the past three years, I have worked in community mental health settings supporting LGBTQ+ clients and communities living with HIV. My clinical focus includes complex PTSD, panic and dissociative symptoms, psychotic disorders, substance use recovery, eating disorders, and clients experiencing acute distress. I am EMDR-trained and have completed advanced trainings in: DeTUR Protocol (Desensitization of Triggers and Urge Reprocessing) – EMDR-based protocol for treating addiction and compulsive behaviors. ASSYST and PreCI (Acute Stress Syndrome Stabilization and Protocol for Recent Critical Incidents) – EMDR protocols designed for rapid response, crisis intervention, and stabilization following recent traumatic events. IGTP-OTS (Integrative Group Traumatic Protocol for Ongoing Traumatic Stress) – a group-based EMDR approach for communities exposed to continuous trauma. Alongside EMDR, I have integrated somatic therapy into my work for the past three years, supporting clients in releasing trauma through body awareness, posture, and movement.