Whatever the reason you have chosen to seek therapy, you have taken a courageous first step towards a worthwhile and important journey. Just like many other areas of life, it’s so much easier and fun to have someone on your side to motivate and encourage you towards growth. My goal is to bring out the authentic and true self that is hiding under the fear, worry, shame, and stress that clouds our lives. I believe therapy is not just about treating problems and symptoms, but also about helping you reach your goals and dreams, building your self-esteem, and enhancing your relationships. I work with clients on finding their values that help to act as a compass in life. When you learn to follow that compass no matter what person or situation is trying to throw you off, you start to build core trust (trust in yourself, trust in others, trust in the world).
I believe treatment and therapy should be different for each individual depending on their preferences, background, beliefs, and personality. I frequently use compassion focused techniques to help clients understand that they are worthy of happiness and love. I have been trained in EMDR Therapy, which is used to treat a wide variety of symptoms that stem from trauma or upsetting memories. I strive to help clients find the right balance of healthy behaviors and realistic thoughts through the use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). I use many strategies from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) which incorporates mindfulness and acceptance.
I also use techniques from Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) that focuses on repairing and fostering healthy attachments when working with couples and individuals. I received training to become a Certified Mental Health Integrative Medicine Provider (CMHIMP) which means I can incorporate evidence-based alternative medicine, nutrition, and behavioral medicine into therapy to improve mental health symptoms. I am also trained in Love and Logic strategies which promote empathy and compassion with a side of tough love for assisting clients with parenting.
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (#106319) with the BBS in California and I have been with WAVE Therapy for almost 8 years. I graduated Summa Cum Laude from National University with a Masters in Counseling Psychology specializing in Marriage and Family Therapy. For a little over a year, I worked at Tri-City Hospital in the Emergency Room and Behavioral Health Unit providing individual, couple, family, and group therapy. I also have almost 2 years experience working at a START (Short Term Acute Residential Treatment) program located in Oceanside, which focuses on treating people with dual diagnoses (mental health and substance use).
Happiness can be so elusive and short-lived in our stressful lives and it is a blessing when we can learn new techniques and ways of being that give us just a little more time feeling happy and at peace. A goal that I am continuously striving for is to learn how to navigate through the toughest of life’s situations without compromising myself and my inner peace. I am so impressed at how much studying, being a client of, and practicing therapy has changed my life for the better and am so grateful to have the opportunity to use this knowledge and expertise to do this for others.
“The unanswerable questions of our lives are the greatest teachers.” Pema Chodron