If there was one thing you wish people knew about the therapy experience who might be hesitant to try it, what would that be?
I would like people to know that the hardest part of therapy is taking the first step of reaching out for help. It took me two years before I made my first call to a therapist. The seed of seeing a therapist had to be planted, then nurtured to grow into enough confidence for me to make that first phone call. I did it and so can you!!
What was your path to becoming a therapist? What inspired you to choose this profession?
The path to becoming a therapist for me has come full circle. This is my second career. My first career was working in broadcast journalism for one of the major television networks. I feel I have come full circle in my career in journalism and therapy. I love to hear people's stories and help them heal. When I worked in journalism, I loved to hear people's stories too. Everyone has an unique story to tell. I want to hear yours and help you heal!
What would be important for someone to know about working with you?
The most important thing for someone to know about working with me is I am a great listener, I can hold the space for big emotions whether it is anger, sadness or fear. I trust the process that healing happens in its own time and it takes as long as it needs too.
Specialties
Depression
Depression often causes people to feel sad, empty, or hopeless, and can cause a lack of interest in life. It can also affect a person's thinking patterns and physical health.
Anxiety
Anxiety can mean nervousness, worry, or self-doubt. Anxiety disorder is a mental health disorder that entails excessive, repeated bouts of worry, anxiety, and/or fear.
Relationship Issues
Refers relationship issues with a partner or spouse. Can include issues related to relationship distress, relationship satisfaction, communication, intimacy, etc.
Stress
Distress stems from a subjective perception of something being unwanted, undesirable, or detrimental to your wellbeing. Excessive stress significantly impairs mental and physical health and is associated with many diseases and conditions.
Women's issues
Women’s health is regarded as the holistic being and experience of being female. This extends beyond consideration for illness and other complex conditions but to general considerations of physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Issues may include female oppression, socialized gender role, female reproductive issues, motherhood, body image, divorce, and substance use.
General Expertise
Careers
Designed to help people choose, change, or leave a career at any stage of life. Careers are often wrapped up in people’s perceived identity, therefore, any change can cause anxiety and/or depression.
Work Stress
Workplace issues are a common source of stress and can include interpersonal conflict, communication problems, gossip, harassment, discrimination, low motivation and job satisfaction, performance issues, and poor job fit.
Self-Esteem
Self-esteem is the degree to which a person feels confident, valuable, and worthy of respect. Feeling low self-esteem can influence overall well-being and be linked to anxiety and/or depression.
Abuse/Survivors of abuse
Abuse includes any significant mistreatment along the lines of psychical, emotional, sexual, verbal, and neglect. Survivors of abuse may experience negative thoughts and feelings, flashbacks, distrust of others, social withdrawal, self-harm, and increased likelihood of developing mental health and substance abuse issues.
Agoraphobia
A debilitating anxiety associated with the intense fear of being in situations or places that might cause panic like crowded rooms, long lines or other situations or places that might cause panic.
Fees
$180
Individual Therapy
Types of Therapy
Individual Session
Clientele
Parents
Young Adults (18-24)
Adults (25-65)
Treatment Approaches / Modalities
Mindfulness Practices
Attachment-Based Therapy
Person-Centered Therapy
Positive Psychology
Somatic Therapy
Transpersonal Therapy
Training / Certifications
Transpersonal Energy Healing Therapy, Reiki Level 2 certified, Certified Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM) Practitioner
Licensure
CA, LPCC, 6248
CA, LMFT, 103847
Education
MA, Marriage and Family Therapy, Pacific Oaks College
Work History
Having been on a healing journey myself, I know what it’s like to overcome overwhelm and grow in ways that positively impact relationships. My 20-plus years of education, training and life experience have equipped me to help others in their healing and growth. Read on to learn more about me and my approach. As a trainee and intern, I worked in substance abuse and mental health intensive care units. There I learned a lot about acute and ongoing mental healthcare. My training also included working in community mental health centers and animal-assisted therapy in school and foster care settings. Over the past 12 years, I’ve had extensive training learning about the body mind connection. I also hold three certificates in Transpersonal Energy Healing Therapy as well as Level 2 Reiki certification. My role in the field of psychology today revolves around my private therapy practice and work in my community. I see patients in my Pasadena office or virtually in online therapy or phone therapy. For telehealth, I use the private, secure platform called SimplePractice. In my private practice, I work with individuals navigating many challenges. Typically, we address issues related to being a highly sensitive person, a parent, or an individual struggling with depression, anxiety or stress. And, I work with families and couples seeking outside support in facing shared suffering and stress.
Location
454 S. Marengo Ave., Pasadena, 91101, CA