Individual Psychotherapy

You are here because you have a sense that life could be different and maybe it could be better. I believe that relationships where we feel deeply seen and understood can be transformative. I approach therapy with a psychodynamic foundation meaning that my intention is to create a space where we can explore your feelings and how your past and early life experiences have shaped you and your experience of the present. My educational background in social justice and Gender and Women’s Studies is foundational to my practice and I incorporate my understanding of systems and socio-political contexts into our work together to understand how these factors have also influenced your identity and sense of self. I believe the therapeutic relationship is the vehicle for change and particularly love working with people long-term.

I was led to this work because of my own desire for truth and self-understanding and to answer the question: “Why am I the way I am?" My life experiences allow me to connect deeply with people and find pieces of my own story in others.

Couples Psychotherapy

Couples work is an area of passion for me. Couples often come to therapy feeling disconnected and seeking support to find their way back to one another. I work with couples to understand each of you individually as well as the relationship you share. Together, we explore the dynamics between you and how your personal histories and identities show up in your connection. This process can open a path toward greater trust, safety, and intimacy in your relationship.

Approach

I employ various modalities using a psychodynamic and trauma-focused framework and modify my approach as I get to know you so I can best guide your self-exploration. My hope is to establish a space that feels safe and nurturing enough that we can allow the darkest parts of you a chance to beheard, seen, and explored with curiosity and genuine care. In the words of Ocean Vuong,: " ‘You're not a monster,’ I said. But I lied. What I really wanted to say was that a monster is not such a terrible thing to be."

Who I Love to Work With

The approach I use can be a fit for many people and challenges, below is a short list of groups I particularly love to work with. My style aligns best with people who are interested in long-term (1+ year) depth therapy:

• Couples

• People seeking support with relationship challenges and patterns

• People with complex family dynamics

• Queer individuals and couples

• Teens and adults grieving the death of a parent

• People who have been in the foster care or adoption system

If any of these sound like parts of your experience, I encourage you to reach out to me and see if I am a good fit!

Education and Experience

I earned a B.A. from UC Berkeley in Gender and Women’s Studies and continued to pursue a Master of Social Work (MSW) at SFSU. I have almost 10 years of experience providing clinical care in community settings and currently work with the SFSU Guardian Scholars Program providing clinical services to people with experience growing up in the foster care system. Additionally, I hold a private practice and provide virtual and in-person therapy services in Oakland, CA.

I am a lecturer in the SFSU Master of Social Work (MSW) program and teach courses on social work practice methods and mental health diagnosis for clinical social workers. I also enjoy providing supervision to both graduate-level students and Associate Clinical Social Workers (ASW) working toward licensure.

To continue my own lifelong learning, I am engaged with continuing education opportunities through the San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis and the Coalition for Clinical Social Work and participated in a foundational psychodynamic training program for clinical social workers.