About Me

It takes a lot of courage and vulnerability to reach out and ask for help when struggling or suffering in life, so I want to acknowledge that you have taken a very brave first step by looking into beginning therapy and prioritizing your mental health.

A good fit between a therapist and client is a foundation of helpful therapy, so I have included some information about my background and my practice to help you make this important decision.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist (PSY34065) providing care to adults and teens in California.

Education

Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, Alliant International University

B.S. in Psychology, with an emphasis on Biology, with a minor in Women and Gender Studies, UC Davis

While in graduate school, I completed two qualitative research projects in which I studied experiences of nonbinary individuals as they came to understand their selves as nonbinary, as well as their experiences in psychotherapy. Unsurprisingly, the findings of these studies highlighted the difficulty that many NB individuals experience with navigating societies that have not yet caught up in terms of language, gender-segregation, family structure, and compulsory participation in the gender binary. In terms of my NB participants’ experiences of psychotherapy, my most notable finding was that it was difficult for many to find therapists who were geographically or financially accessible, and who would not problematize or ignore their gender identities.

Experience

During graduate school and while accruing hours as a post-doctoral fellow, I was fortunate to receive excellent training and supervision in working with the following communities:

  • LGBTQ+ adults and teens

  • High-school students (and their parents)

  • South-Asian and Middle-Eastern individuals

  • HIV-affected individuals, including long-term survivors and those recently diagnosed

  • Binary and non-binary trans and gender-expansive individuals

In light of my training and education in working with the above, my private practice is geared towards clients from these backgrounds. Of course, I am open to seeing folks from all walks of life, so feel free to reach out no matter your identities.

Also of note, within the past year, I have also begun working with adults receiving worker’s compensation benefits who have sustained physical and psychological injuries while in the workplace. Although I do not see worker’s compensation clients in my private practice, by virtue of my worker’s compensation experience I am uniquely equipped to support clients who are struggling with work-related stress or trauma who do not have active worker’s compensation cases.

Outside of the office

I cannot think of a job that I would enjoy more than being a psychologist. It is an absolute pleasure to get to hear my clients’ life stories and to have the opportunity to provide support while getting to wear cozy turtleneck sweaters. However, I have other interests as well! Outside of the office I enjoy practicing Aikido (a nonviolent Japanese martial art), spending time with my husband and two cats, dream journaling, watching Italian television, cooking, and knitting (in the winter).

My approach

The Therapeutic Relationship is Key

Based on the large body of evidence that the therapeutic relationship is a key determinant of successful treatment, much of my work is framed by a relational and psychodynamic approach. I prioritize creating a safe and healing relational experience and believe that most mental health symptoms cannot be fully treated without addressing their unconscious roots. As every person is unique, I sometimes incorporate elements of humanistic, existential, cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness-based, narrative, and feminist approaches to therapy. Utilizing specific interventions from other therapeutic approaches (e.g., Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy) can provide short-term symptom reduction, build coping skills, and create safety to explore deeper material.

Through working with long-term HIV survivors, teens with juvenile-onset diabetes, and people of all ages living with chronic pain, I have also learned the value of incorporating aspects of existential psychotherapy when appropriate. When one’s life has been altered by medical problems, grief, or other major changes, painful feelings about one’s own mortality can surface. Although these feelings are often overwhelming, they also offer fertile ground for significant personal growth, which can be accelerated further in psychotherapy.

As a provider experienced in providing care to folks from marginalized communities, I have learned that it is common for people from marginalized communities to have their individual realities overlooked by powerful institutions. My graduate school research on psychotherapy experiences of nonbinary individuals has illustrated the importance of taking an individualized approach while also acknowledging the impact of oppression.

Although I tailor therapy to the needs of each individual client, my work is structured by the following principles:

  1. A strong therapeutic alliance is essential for generative work. As the therapist, I am responsible for creating a safe environment for my clients.

  2. Behavior is influenced by both conscious and unconscious factors, and it is important to explore both. In addition to intra-psychic factors, I acknowledge that many of my clients’ difficulties may be exacerbated by oppressive systems at the global, national, and local levels.

  3. Building coping skills early in the therapeutic process can facilitate deeper exploration later on. Working through complex issues requires patience.

My integrative theoretical orientation is based upon the following approaches:

  • Psychodynamic

  • Relational

  • Existential

  • Trauma-informed

  • Self-Psychology

Services Offered:

  • Individual Psychotherapy (teens and adults)

  • Support for parents

  • Pre-gender-affirming-care consultation.

  • Teaching and supervision