About Me

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As a healthcare professional, the most important element of my treatment approach is the integration of trauma-informed care. In his groundbreaking book The Body Keeps The Score, psychiatrist and trauma pioneer Dr. Bessel van der Kolk explains, "One does not have to be a combat soldier, or visit a refugee camp in Syria or the Congo to encounter trauma. Trauma happens to us, our

friends, our families, and our neighbors." He goes on to cite research from the Center for Disease Control that shows one in five Americans was sexually abused in childhood, one in four experienced physical abused by a parent that left mark on their body, and one in three couples has used physical violence. A quarter of us grew up with alcoholic relatives, and one out of eight witnessed their mother being beaten or hit." Clearly trauma is a widespread problem, and its impact extends far beyond individual victims  —  and maybe even far beyond time: emerging research suggests that trauma-induced epigenetic changes can be inherited. Specifically, the children of traumatized individuals may exhibit altered stress responses, or increased vulnerability to mental health conditions, even if they did not directly experience the trauma themselves. For all of these reasons (plus multiple others), I approach everyone who comes to me for therapy with compassion and unconditional positive regard, and I am always working to impart a sense of safety, and to ensure they feel seen, heard, and empowered.

Secondary to being trauma-informed, I have an integrative therapeutic approach, which means rather than limit myself to one treatment model, I prefer to take a more individualized approach. Specifically, integrative psychotherapy emphasizes the unique qualities of the clients, as well as on the therapeutic relationship — both are considered key elements of therapeutic change. Additionally, the client is regarded as an active participant in the therapy, and so I will adjust my strategy depending upon their specific qualities, needs, strengths, and preferences. With an integrative approach, I can tailor my clinical knowledge and experience, particularly with regard to evidence-based treatments, and adapt to each client's unique needs, symptoms, and goals. In general, 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.

I am from Los Angeles originally and I went to the University of Oregon for my undergraduate degree. I graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Biological Psychology and a minor in Chemistry. I started medical school at USC in August of 2001, and two weeks later 9-11 happened; I started becoming disillusioned with medicine, and by the end of the school year I had decided not to return. I found out about the Clinical Psychology program at Pepperdine and it turned out to be exactly where I belonged; I graduated in 2005 and then spent several years accumulating the 3000+ hours of supervised clinical fieldwork required by the State of California to become eligible for licensure. In 2008 I passed both board 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.