About Me

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I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. I went to the University of Oregon for my undergraduate degree. I got a Bachelor of Arts in Biological Psychology with a minor in Chemistry, and I graduated magna cum laude. I started medical school at USC but ultimately realized it was not my path, so I left after the first year and enrolled in the Clinical Psychology Master's program at Pepperdine University. After I finished school I spent several years accumulating the 3000+ hours of supervised clinical fieldwork required by the State of California to become eligible for the two licensing board exams, then in October of 2008 I passed both exams and became licensed to practice Marriage and Family Therapy in the State of California. I have been a psychotherapist for just over 20 years, and during that time I have worked with adults, adolescents, children, couples, and families in many different treatment settings, including outpatient clinics, clients' homes, schools, group homes, residential facilities, partial hospitalization programs, emergency rooms, and psychiatric hospitals. 

 My therapeutic approach is trauma-informed before anything else, because unfortunately tragedy is not rare, and the impact of child abuse, interpersonal violence, crime, war, natural disasters, etc. resonates across populations and is passed down through multiple generations. People are often impacted by trauma without realizing it, so regardless of a person's reasons for seeking therapy my top priorities are always safety, sensitivity, and client empowerment. Secondary to being trauma-informed, I have an eclectic therapeutic style, which means I prefer to integrate multiple elements from several different therapeutic approaches, rather than limit myself to a single model. Depending on each client's unique needs, symptoms, and goals, I typically combine interventions from the following methods:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): In the simplest of terms, CBT involves learning to control the automatic interpretation of events in order to reduce anxiety and depression. CBT is the gold standard in mental healthcare because it is backed by research, and it works well for a range of different problems and client populations -- I personally participated in CBT as a young adult, and I still use the skills I learned every single day. Lastly, I am certified in several evidence-based practices or EBPS (as defined in the FAQs) that have foundations in CBT, including Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
• Psychodynamic therapy: This is the more traditional form of therapy that places emphasis on gaining insight and self-awareness. I utilize these interventions in order to help clients who have problematic relationships resolve their unmet developmental needs from childhood or insecure attachment style. 
• Mindfulness: I incorporate mindfulness and meditation to help clients learn to tolerate their emotions while staying present in the moment, instead of ruminating on the past or worrying about the future. 
• Humanistic: I utilize humanistic principles such as expression of empathy, active listening, and unconditional positive regard in order to build a strong therapeutic alliance, promote self-acceptance, and facilitate personal growth. 
• Existentialism: Last but not least, I incorporate the philosophies of existential psychotherapy, which means I help my clients search for meaning, embrace both freedom and responsibility, and confront mortality.

Click LEARN MORE to read about the science behind my approach.