A bit about me........
It can be difficult to share who you are with a stranger; that is the part of therapy I generally struggled. Yep, I have had a therapy journey myself. I think all therapists should have a therapist. My hope is my personal therapy has made me a better therapist for you. Here is some information about me that may help you get to know me a bit. I'll start with the professional and end with some personal tid-bits.
- I am a licensed clinical social worker in Oregon, California, and Washington. I received my Master of Social Work (MSW) from San Jose State University (SJSU) MSW program in California. This program focused on Mental Health utilizing the Transcultural Perspective. This means my education was infused with a focus on power, privilege, partnership, cultural humility, and positionality with each client I work.
- Before graduate school, I graduated Summa Cum Laude with my BA in Psychology from SJSU. This education has provided a balance of seeing the individual while promoting empowerment and understanding people based on community, cultural, and societal interactions through my social work degree.
- I recently worked at a Portland practice working with individuals with eating disorders. My work focused on those with binge & purge, binge, and those who wanted to end their destructive relationship with diet culture and heal their relationship with their body.
- In California, I worked in clinical settings serving those with a variety of mental health disorders from severe anxiety disorders, complex trauma, along with substance use disorder for 5 years. I additionally worked with young adults in community college, and supported foster youth in educational goals during my grad-school internships. My experience is wide and diverse.
- I am a Level 1 AEDP therapist. My clinical supervision and consultation has been provided by a practitioner of AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy). This modality is centered in undoing a person's aloneness and aims to achieve a transformative experience through emotional and relational processing with a trusted therapist. This model informs my clinical work.
- I believe in consultation to maintain my ethics and clinical work. I consult with my mentor and previous supervisors to maintain my therapeutic integrity.
- I lived in the California Bay Area my entire life and built my education, experience, and practice in the heart of Silicon Valley. I moved to the Pacific North West in September 2021 and I am slowly adjusting to what it means to have rain in my life :)
- a recovering person with over 3 decades of personal substance recovery. I utilize my lived experience as a person with substance use disorder in my therapeutic work when appropriate.
- an active supporter and member of the LGBTQ+ community, and I value any way I can support a person in their process, whatever that may look like for you.
- married and I have been with my partner/wife for 19 and 1/2 years (that 1/2 is important!) .
- a supporter of body neutrality, marginalized empowerment, and I am a believer in equality for all humans.
- HAES and Intuitive Eating informed and I value bodies of all sizes.
- a dog lover! I LOVE my dog……. I love all dogs, and I will love your cat too!
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