What do you view as a key component of the therapeutic relationship?
What I view as a key component of a good therapeutic relationship is trust, respect, and congruence. These major components along with empathy and genuineness empower a therapeutic alliance that promotes agreement on the goals of the treatment, agreement on the tasks, and the development of a personal bond that is made up of reciprocal positive feelings that foster essential aspects of successful therapy.
What would be important for someone to know about working with you?
A holistic approach to mental health and wellness is my primary goal. Integrative psychotherapy is fundamental to promote healing on all levels: physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and mental. Having a sound mind, body, and soul is a paradigm that signifies the wheel of wellness in its continuum, enriching the various aspects of life for optimal growth and a sense of well-being. Cultivating our spirituality promotes resiliency, equilibrium, and wellness. It provides a moral compass that affects our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. As the Serenity Prayer of St. Francis Assisi goes, “God, give me the courage to change the things I can, peace to accept the things I cannot, and wisdom to know the difference..,” renders faith and renewed strength. Faith-based counseling along with various treatment modalities is essential to effective therapeutic intervention and prevention. I support the therapeutic approach which best meets my client’s needs that fosters healing, life-giving grace, hope, peace, and love.
What’s the most profound, insightful, or interesting thing you’ve learned as a mental health professional?
The most profound, insightful, or interesting thing I’ve learned as a mental health professional is being able to help people reach and tap on their potentials. There is this integral source of strength in other people that enables them to help themselves effectively. Thus, this paves the way in achieving their desired therapeutic goals for optimal wellness.
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.
Loss/Grief
Grief is a reaction to an emotionally significant loss and often comes with symptoms of depression or anxiety. These symptoms can remain intense and last for a long time after a loss, making it difficult to move forward with a healthy lifestyle.
Spirituality & religion based issues
Spirituality and religion, to a great extent, shape our moral principles, beliefs, and values. They have a role in shaping our behavior and in our relationships. Issues may include questioning one’s faith, loss of faith, struggling to find meaning, and living a life incongruent with one’s belief.
General Expertise
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.
Social Anxiety
Social anxiety or social phobia is fear of social situations or a fear of interacting with people other than close friends and family. Social anxiety can be persistent, intense, and debilitating, greatly affecting daily life.
ADHD
ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) causes a hard time focusing attention and controlling restless or impulsive behavior. People with ADHD might have emotional outbursts, be forgetful, and/or find it difficult to stay organized.
Anger management
It's normal to experience anger at times, but for some, it becomes so frequent, intense, or difficult to control that it negatively affects their life. Anger management is a structured therapeutic approach toward reducing one’s anger to a point where more appropriate coping and/or conflict management skills are used. Beliefs and thoughts leading toward anger outbursts are explored while healthy coping and interpersonal skills are put into practice.
Attachment issues
Children that experience parents and/or guardians that are avoidant, ambivalent, or resistant from an early age, may develop attachment issues. This can manifest as difficulty forming or maintaining friendships, romantic relationships and empathetic bonds throughout life, as well as other issues.
Fees
$110
First Session
$110
Individual Therapy
Types of Therapy
Individual Session
Clientele
Young Adults (18-24)
Adults (25-65)
Treatment Approaches / Modalities
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Bibliotherapy
Existential Therapy
Integrative Therapy
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
Pastoral & Faith Based Counseling
Training / Certifications
NBCC - National Certified Counselor
Licensure
CA, LPCC, 8370
Education
MS Counseling and Psychology - Troy University
BS Social Science - University of Maryland Europe
Professional Development for Catholic Educators - Catholic Distance University
Work History
Hello and welcome! I am passionate about helping others. My work is primarily in mental health and wellness, cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal, interventions, and prevention; treatment development, and a proactive approach toward promoting a connection and awareness of supportive services and resources. I have a wide array of professional knowledge and experience in federal, private, community mental health care, and vocational rehabilitation. I am a USAF veteran, military spouse, and civilian with over 10 years of experience; bilingual: English/Tagalog; NBCC National Board for Certified Counselor in various occupational settings that empowers diverse individuals to accomplish mental health, wellness, spiritual, and career goals. Specializing in Depression, Anxiety, Trauma, Relationship Issues, Military Transition/Lifestyle, Grief and Loss utilizing fact-based clinical interventions to include Cognitive/Behavioral, ACT, Spiritually Informed/Catholic Faith-based counseling, Supportive and Solution-Focused Brief Therapies. Helping others help themselves through an integrative therapeutic approach optimizes mental health and wellness. As a mental health counselor and spiritual mentor, I support the best therapeutic approach that best meet my client's needs, and I invite you to recognize your fullest potential of being human and a child of God. Lastly, "There is a source within us that always works to bring things into the light." ~John A. Sanford. I look forward to working with you and become part of your life as a mentor and counselor.
Location
Remote Therapy, Sacramento, 95648, CA