I seek to help people feel seen, heard and understood. Every person’s story matters. I love to see people grow in their understanding of themselves, their goals, their strengths, and their innate value. It is an honor to support people as they move toward wellness.
I am a Licensed Social Worker. I earned my Master of Social Work degree from California Baptist University in Riverside. I have experience providing therapy at a community counseling center, for a county behavioral health department, and within a school district. In addition to providing individual therapy, I have facilitated social skills and coping skills groups for middle school students as well as mindfulness-meditation groups for adults.
My initial goal when meeting with a patient is to establish a trusting relationship. It is important to me that my clients can share freely and explore what they want out of our time together. I use an eclectic therapeutic approach. I find it helpful to tailor my approach to my patients’ goals. I tend to gravitate toward Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Motivational Interview (MI), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skill building.
When providing therapy, I take a holistic view of the person considering biological, psychological, social and spiritual factors. Additionally, it is important to me to recognize the systems clients interact with and the environments in which they find themselves. Most of my work has been with patients experiencing anxiety, depression, domestic or intimate partner violence, grief and loss, trauma and the ongoing impact of trauma, relationship concerns, difficulty adjusting after a life transition, low self-esteem, difficulty at work, and stress.
Working as a therapist has provided many opportunities to learn and grow. When I am not working, I enjoy walking along the lake, spending time with friends and family, rock climbing, listening to live music, and reading in coffee shops.
