About Me
My therapeutic style is warm, collaborative and engaged.
My work is informed by social justice and feminist theories, including the framework of intersectionality. I am mindful and respectful of differences (racial, ethnic, cultural, religious, economic, gender variance, sexual orientation, differences of ability etc.) and strive to understand each person within the context of their life history.
I have additional training in AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy), Core Self Reclamation Therapy (CSRT) , and EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy) and blend those approaches into my work. Additionally, my work is inspired by Brené Brown’s research on courage, vulnerability and shame, and Kristin Neff’s research on self-compassion.
Since each person’s needs are unique, we can work together to create a course of therapy where your expectations and goals remain at the forefront.
Education and Training
I was born and raised in the SF Bay Area, and have been in private practice locally since 2012. I love the vibrancy, diversity, and openness of the Bay Area and feel grateful to live and work here.
I attended U.C. Davis, and graduated with a B.A. in Psychology in 2001. After graduation, I worked with children diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Pervasive Developmental Delays (PDD) in their homes and in school settings.
I earned my doctoral degree from The Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA and graduated in 2010. During my graduate school program, I worked for one year at the Cleo Eulao center providing therapy to youth navigating the juvenile justice system. Another year, I worked at San Leandro Community Counseling (at the Davis Street clinic), providing community based mental health services for adults, children and families.
I completed my pre-doctoral internship at Alameda Family Services, where I worked with individuals and families in a community clinic. That year, I also worked with the Alameda Head Start program, providing psychotherapy and consultation to preschool aged children, and their families and teachers.
After graduation, I completed my post-doctoral training at the Ann Martin Center, and worked mainly in the School Based program providing therapy and assessments to elementary aged students in Oakland public schools.
While I was beginning my private practice, I worked conjunctively as a supervisor at The Wright Institute. There, I supervised practicum students as well as pre-doctoral and post-doctoral level interns, individually and in groups.