I first felt a call to the counseling field during high school, with a desire for purpose and helping others. I earned my BA in Psychology at UC Santa Cruz, and then graduated with my MA in Counseling Psychology from John F. Kennedy University in 2009. I was especially drawn to the holistic program, and a therapeutic approach that sees the Whole You, not just how you might fit into any particular textbook theory.
I began seeing clients in 2008 and fell in love watching my clients blossom out of stressful situations through our work together. While I was promoted to Clinical Director at Almaden Valley Counseling Service, I ultimately felt the need to focus my time on serving clients directly, and invested my energy full time in Private Practice. I continue to study and grow my clinical knowledge, both out of pure interest in learning new material and improving my skills in helping my clients.
I have a special interest in assisting the process of Divorce Recovery, and in addition to counseling, I offer periodic workshops on to aid in the healing process, including educating other counselors on how to best support this growing demographic.
When not counseling, I play ice hockey and run, do logic puzzles, and spending time with loved ones. I am dedicated to my own personal growth and constant transformation.
Further Education and Training
- ACE Certified Health Coach
- Professional Training in the Hakomi Method: Mindfulness-Based Experiential Psychotherapy
- Advanced Professional Training in the Hakomi Method
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
- Applying DBT for Client Wellness and Recovery
- Divorce Options
- From Divorce Talk to Solution Talk: Solution Focused Brief Therapy with the Most Trying of Couples Sessions
- Working with High Conflict Couples in Divorce and Custody Situations
- Conflict Resolution
- Forgive for Good
- Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy: The Science of Love and Bonding
- Creative Ways of Working with Trauma
- Gender Affirmative Therapy and Trans Clients
- Therapeutic Goals for Adolescents in Crisis
- Cyber Society: The Perils and Pitfalls of a Wired Culture
- Online Compulsivity
- Introduction to Clinical Hypnosis
- Core Elements in Responding to Mental Health Crises
- Yin Yoga Teacher Training
- Neuroscience of Yoga in Trauma
- Moto-Ki Healing Level 2 Certification
- Anti-Racism Training
- Science of Intuition
- Healing from the Trauma of Infidelity
- Internal Family Systems Foundations of the Model
Authorships
- Final Integrative Project: The Work of Life’s Un-grieved Losses
- My blog articles
Professional Associations and Memberships
Community Involvement
- Divorce Recovery presenter (Continuing Education Provider)
- Unstoppable Women of Silicon Valley Member
- Team in Training participant and fundraiser for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
- Start! Training participant and fundraiser for the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association
- Breathe California fundraiser
- Synesthesia research contributor, UC Berkeley and others
- Synesthesia discussion speaker, Santa Cruz Public Library
- Thrive The Way You Are Member
- Mentor, UC Santa Cruz, Stevenson College