As a Los Angeles native, I’ve had the privilege of being exposed to a multitude of cultures that exist in this vibrant city.
This has allowed me to not only learn first hand about a variety of cultures, but to also build my own diverse community here in Los Angeles.
This opportunity has been highly beneficial to my experience as a clinician; enhancing my cultural competence and increasing my ability to be compassionate towards others whose traditions and values differ from my own.
I received my bachelor’s degree in psychobiology from UCLA, and I enjoy incorporating my science background into my practice using current research in the field of interpersonal neurobiology to educate my clients and normalize their experiences. I received my master’s degree in clinical psychology with an emphasis on marriage and family therapy from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
Training
Over the past four years I have received extensive clinical training at the following institutions: PUC schools, a non-profit, inner city charter school system providing mental health services to students and their families; The Maple Counseling Center, an esteemed low cost agency serving the Beverly Hills community; and, Lifespan Psychological Center, a private practice in West Los Angeles offering individual, group and family therapy, under the supervision of Dr. Bonnie Goldstein. Furthermore, I completed the levels one and two certifications at the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute, a somatic approach to treating trauma. I am also a Certified Group Practitioner (CGP). The following are my areas of specialty:
LGBTQ
Adolescents
Emerging Adults (age 25 - 35)
Perfectionism
Identity Issues
Spiritual Emergence
Relational Difficulties
Trauma
Substance Use
Anxiety
Depression
Personality/Mood Disorders
My Approach
Using an integrative holistic model, I will assist you in exploring the mental, physical, and spiritual processes that are contributing to your overall wellbeing.
It is my belief that you know far more about yourself than I will ever comprehend.
Thus, it is crucial for us to establish a strong relationship founded on trust and respect, in order to work collaboratively in a safe space, to discover how we can enhance your life.
I specialize in helping clients establish a stronger sense of self and improve interpersonal relationships. Having a background in family systems and psychodynamic principles, my goal is to empower clients to break away from negative patterns in relationships by shifting toward a more actualized self.
Using mindfulness principles and sensorimotor psychotherapy techniques, I aim to provide clients with tools to increase their mind-body awareness, developing resources to better regulate overwhelming emotions.
I have found these practices to be incredibly helpful in reducing anxiety and depression due to childhood trauma and insecure parent-child attachment. When we experience ongoing stress and trauma in childhood we often develop defenses to protect our psyche from harm. However, these tools that helped us in the past often become barriers to human connection and deep intimacy, as we grow older.
I am passionate about helping my clients empower themselves to respond to stressful life events from a place of strength and security rather than defensiveness.