Approach
I believe the greatest source of pain and healing is relationships. Because of this, I see my role as a therapist as an active relational partner in a client’s process toward positive change. I am deeply fascinated by each person’s story and I have found that telling your story is often where healing begins. I desire to create a safe space to venture into the dark places of your story, to highlight your resiliency, and to help you seek the movement in your life you are looking for.
I am a direct and empathetic therapist who values authenticity and laughter. I bring my whole self into the room and believe when we are both fully present we can make space to create new patterns of relational interaction that facilitate healing.
I practice primarily from attachment and psychodynamic theories, while utilizing key interventions from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with a focus on mindfulness to manage symptoms. I also value the use of the Enneagram personality types in normalizing and assessing personality structure dynamics in work and relationships.
Background
I have diverse clinical experience, working in community mental health, spiritual settings, and private practice. I also spent a year working with high-risk adolescents with patterns of self-harm and suicidal thoughts. I have worked with and welcome clients from a spectrum of backgrounds, including various socioeconomic statuses, gender identity, sexual identity, spiritual identity, and ethnicity. I deeply value diversity within my practice and make space for discussions about how differences in background impact our relationship and each person’s experience in and outside the therapy office.
Prior to my career as a therapist, I worked in business for nearly seven years as a marketing and public relations consultant. I use this experience to connect with clients seeking career direction, experiencing career dissatisfaction, or feeling overcome with work-related stress.
Qualifications
I am a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT # 108742) in the state of California. I hold a Master of Science in Marital and Family Therapy from Fuller School of Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and Broadcasting from Oklahoma State University.
Specialized Training
I am a certified Havening practitioner, which employs a series of neuroscience-based techniques used to help reduce the automatic response from past traumatic events, regulate difficult emotions, and manage panic attacks. I am also a level II trained Restoration therapist, which I utilize in couples work to help identify underlying patterns of interaction that lead to familiar fights and difficulty resolving arguments.
