Welcome
Parenting can be one life’s most rewarding and joyful experiences. At the same time, it is often called life’s hardest, best job. As a parent we may be faced with challenges, and instead of moving forward, we find ourselves feeling stuck or lost. Other times, we simply need support, guidance, and coaching to help us unlock our family’s full potential. I believe that these transitional and trying moments hold the gift of opportunity; the opportunity to explore how we deeply feel, to examine what is working and what is not, and to find the courage to move toward valued directions.
Congratulations! By taking the time to explore your family’s options toward healing, you have already stepped into your life. I hope that you will feel informed and encouraged after visiting this website.
Who I Help
I am passionate about helping families find balance and maintain connection despite the constant demands and pressures of modern life in the Bay Area. I have been providing therapeutic services to children, teens, adults, and families since 2009.
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT 98916) and specialize in providing therapeutic services to children and families affected by neurodevelopmental disorders, especially those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I also provide individual and family counseling to those experiencing a range of clinical and non-clinical issues. These include: Anxiety Disorders, Disruptive, Impulse-control and Conduct Disorders, and Trauma and Stressor-related Disorders.
I have been in private practice in the Bay Area since 2017 working in partnership with Developmental Pathways for Kids. I provide individual and family therapy, group therapy, facilitate integrated playgroups, provide parent coaching, and offer ongoing school consultations.
How I Work
I believe that each family has their own unique and valuable experience that should be be considered and integrated into treatment. Rather than prescribing a “one-size-fits-all” approach to families, I will honor the values and realities of your family and everyday life! I try to balance a warm, empathetic attitude with a directive approach to facilitate each client’s personal development. I believe that every individual and family have the innate capacity to heal and grow.
As a child and family therapist, I believe it’s crucial to consider the child’s broader systems and work on a team to achieve results. I frequently collaborate and consult with school teachers and staff and other developmental practitioners to treat the whole child and family.
I rely on attachment theory and family systems theory as foundational orientations to psychotherapy. Within my sessions, I use cognitive behavioral therapy, EMDR therapy, expressive arts therapy, mindfulness-based treatments, sensory-based strategies, and the Social Thinking® framework to enhance the healing process.
Education & Work Background
I have been licensed to practice as a Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California since 2017. I received my master’s in Counseling Psychology from Saint Mary’s College of California after I completed my bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of Southern California as a dean scholar. Prior to completing my licensing requirements, I worked in private practice internships under the supervision of Dr. Valerie Shrer, Ph.D. at Paths to Wellness and at Mindfulness Centered Healing (Dr. Peter Newsom, M.D.), in Menlo Park, CA. I completed my traineeship for Marriage and Family Therapy at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland (2013-2014) where I provided trauma-based counseling services to children and families in clinic and school-based settings. Before graduate school, I worked as a behavioral therapist and behavioral consultant to children with ASD within clinic, home, and school-based settings at Lovaas Institute, Los Angeles, and Steps Therapy, San Francisco, CA.
