In what ways have your personal experiences influenced your work with your clients?
When I was younger I struggled with my own mental health issues (that's where I go all of my areas of specialization). Once I recovered from the issues I was dealing with, I found that I had both a passion for helping other people and a unique knowledge regarding the journey to wholeness. I have found that my own personal experiences have translated into faster healing for my clients.
In what ways does your personality influence your approach to therapy?
I am naturally warm, open, and funny (when appropriate). People have always told me that they find me easy to talk to and that opening up with me is easier than most. Part of that may be in part to my sense of humor, which I sporadically use when it will benefit my client in the moment.
What is your style/approach to therapy?
I have been lucky enough to attend numerous trainings, work with incredible mentors, and make a lot of progress along my own journey of healing, self-discovery, and evolution. I incorporate aspects of all of these things into my therapy sessions. Each session I do can look different from the last as I stay in tune with what is needed in the moment to promote growth and healing. My sessions are a collaborative effort between my client and I. We always work together as equals focused on the same goal.
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.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is a condition that is precipitated by a perceived terrifying event. This event need not occur directly to the person but may happen vicariously—having seen something terrible happen to another person. The condition may last months or years while symptoms include ruminating thoughts, flashbacks, nightmares, intense anxiety when triggered, and potential substance abuse in attempt to cope.
Substance abuse
Substance abuse is the intentional misuse of a substances (e.g., alcohol, prescription drugs, OTC medications, recreational and street drugs, household chemicals). This may include binge drinking or taking twice the prescribed dose of painkillers. For substances considered illegal and/or extremely detrimental to well-being, using even once may be considered substance abuse. Because of the addiction potential for many substances, abuse oftentimes leads to addiction.
Trauma
Trauma is the result of experiencing a perceived, extremely distressful event. Although the stress threshold for each person differs, meaning that each person considers and experiences trauma differently, it is an event that tops one’s threshold. It exceeds one’s ability to cope or emotionally process. Symptoms may include shock, anxiety, confusion, hopelessness, feeling disconnected, mood swings, nightmares, and intrusive thoughts.
General Expertise
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.
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.
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.
Addiction
Regular involvement with a substance or activity in a compulsive, hard to control way that often has harmful consequences. Often refers to substance use, but can include compulsive behaviors such as sex, gambling, or shopping.
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.
Fees
$200
Individual Therapy
Types of Therapy
Individual Session
Clientele
Parents
Young Adults (18-24)
Adults (25-65)
Seniors (65+)
Children (5-12)
Adolescents (13-17)
Treatment Approaches / Modalities
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Mindfulness Practices
Integrative Therapy
Internal Family Systems Therapy
Motivational Interviewing
Training / Certifications
EMDR trained by EMDRIA
IFS trained
CRM trained
Licensure
CA, LPCC, LPCC8803
Education
MS Mental Health Counseling, Capella University
Work History
I have been practicing psychotherapy for four years and have accumulated a wealth of knowledge, experience, and professional trainings in that time. I have worked in two different treatment centers (one focused on substance abuse for men and the other focusing on treating trauma for women) and have been seeing clients via my private practice for the two years. I was also the Program Director for a women's trauma facility for two years. My areas of specialty are substance abuse, trauma (PTSD), anxiety, depression, codependency, and dysfunctional dynamics, although I am skilled at working with a wide array of clients and issues.
Location
4110 Mount Alifan Drive, unit H, san diego, 92111, CA