About Me
My work has always been driven by my values, most prominently, my strong desire to serve the community around me. As a result, I have spent most of my education and career working with the disenfranchised in medical and community mental health settings. From developing a local job program for unhoused women to working with those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, over the past 20 years, I’ve grown both as a clinician and as an individual, developing a deep understanding of the intersections between sociocultural and economic status, gender identity, sexual orientation, and mental and physical wellbeing. Based on these values, I’ve developed a private practice that is as diverse as the clients I serve - everyone from those who are marginalized and unemployed to C-suite-level executives. Regardless of your walk of life, I treat all my clients with the same level of compassion, devotion, respect, and authenticity.
When I’m not working, you can find me baking, hiking, going to musicals, taking pictures, and playing with my bulldog, Violet (aka my coworker).
My Therapy Approach
I believe therapy is an active and collaborative process by which we work towards mutually agreed-upon goals. Because therapy involves not only talking about uncomfortable topics but also a level of vulnerability and introspection that not all people are accustomed to, it is of utmost importance for there to be trust and safety in the relationship, something that can develop quickly or take some time to grow. To reinforce this trust and safety, I often solicit feedback about what is working well or not working well in our work to allow us to make adjustments and ensure you are benefitting from treatment. I approach every client as the expert of his/her/their own life and provide a non-judgmental, non-shaming, and accepting space for you to explore your challenges and make changes in your life. (I also believe in the therapeutic benefit of humor and have been known to crack (no-so-funny) jokes. Apologies in advance.)
I consider myself to have an eclectic approach to therapy as I work within several evidenced-based modalities, particularly Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). In addition to CBT, I also have post-graduate training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) .
Specialties
Anxiety
Depression
Life transitions
Imposter syndrome
ADHD
Healthy communication
Burn out
Founder therapy
Perfectionism
Stress management
Insomnia
Education
PhD in Clinical Psychology - California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University
BA in Psychology - Pitzer College
Post-Graduate Training
CBT for Adult ADHD (The Beck Institute)
CBT for Anxiety (The Beck Institute)
CBT for Depression (The Beck Institute)
CBT for Insomnia (The Beck Institute)
Work Experience
Well Clinic - Psychologist
University of California at San Francisco - Psychologist
Institute on Aging - Consultant, Postdoctoral Fellow
San Francisco General Hospital - Postdoctoral Fellow
Trauma Recovery Center - Crisis Hotline Counselor
St. Mary’s Medical Center - Predoctoral Intern
San Francisco VA Medical Center -Psychology Extern
East Bay Community Recovery Project - Psychology Intern
Berkeley Mental Health (Family Youth and Children’s Services) - Psychology Trainee