Little About Me
I'm an intuitive, directive and collaborative therapist with over 20 years of expertise. I help clients heal, and reframe their experiences as adaptive to lower shame and guilt for their challenges. I guide them to use their intrinsic healing potential. My clients feel valued, and learn to also trust in their own wisdom.
Therapy is more than helping someone overcome their issues. It's also to celebrate and integrate daily successes, such as making a more supportive choice, managing an impulse, treating themselves with kindness, and accepting themselves when they falter.
My Budding Desire to Be the Change
The L.A. Watts Riots (dating myself!) occurred when I was six. Although I was raised with white privilege, I was disturbed by the way society forced these demonstrators into the streets. It pained me that they were discriminated against because they had brown bodies. They deserved to have respect, jobs, enough food, shelter, and safety.
Nobody around me talked about why things were like this. I still don't understand how social injustice is allowed to flourish against people of color and the LGBTQ community. This "othering" is a major problem. I consider myself an ally and use my white privilege to confront social injustice. I need to do more, however.
My political activism began at age six, when I stuffed envelopes for John Kennedy's campaign. I was so proud.
I Discovered the Power of Empathetic Listening
Being a therapist has been an honor, a joy, and a mission to “raise all boats.” When anyone feels better about themselves, it causes a ripple effect throughout society.
My personal journey and understanding
I personally know the power of therapy. It helped me get over a difficult divorce and also heal from being raised by a narcissist. I understand the desperation that can send people to therapy.
As a depressed and anxious kid, I never imagined feeling this good—so grateful.
My effectiveness required new therapy approaches
In 2007, I realized I needed more effective treatment options than just talk therapy, as my clients were still stuck.
I began my journey with Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP), a somatic body-based talk therapy. It’s effective for treating trauma residue and updating self-sabotaging thoughts and behaviors via the mind-body connection. I started to value the intelligence of addictions and early adaptive strategies like perfectionism or people-pleasing.
Somatic Talk Therapy for Trauma
I was surprised to learn trauma is stored in the body, as Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., explains in The Body Keeps the Score. In fact, ninety percent of our experience originates in the body and is later interpreted as emotions and thoughts. Using mindful, focused awareness of the body’s response to key memories is a powerful change agent.
Since becoming certified in sensory-motor psychotherapy, I’ve also learned other limbic-oriented brain-transforming approaches like EMDR, IFS, TIST, and the Flash Technique (fun).
Fun Stuff in My Free Time
I first fell in love with dancing to my dad's albums when I was five. I go dancing to help me connect with an aliveness inside. I'm also a huge music fan. I love hiking, taking pictures, and international travel.
Spiritually, I identify more as a Buddhist. I've experienced several profoundly connected and inexplicable ecstatic moments. Yoga and meditation were helpful with that.
I find doing therapy quite spiritual, and I have also facilitated spiritual experiences for some of my clients with these modalities.
The Path to Authenticity and Well-Being
If it seems like this work might be a good fit to help guide and support you on your journey, I invite you to schedule a free 20-minute consultation. We’ll discuss your needs and answer any questions you may have.