Why I do this work.
I’ve always felt like I lived on the edges—labeled “weird,” “too much,” or “not enough.” From as early as I can remember, I experienced severe panic attacks. Crowds, loud noises, even simple outings felt unbearable. I did everything I could to avoid situations that might trigger another episode—school field trips, sleepovers, family gatherings. I was deeply anxious, socially withdrawn, and held back in kindergarten because I was “too shy.”
Then, at age eleven, my world shifted dramatically when I unexpectedly lost my mother and my paternal grandfather within the same month. Cue the fallout: I became a “rebel,” a parentified child, and a caregiver to a very angry younger sibling and a father (who already had a history of 5150s). I was labeled “the weird kid” who lost all their friends as I was now “different” than everyone else. My family decided that I should see a therapist because I wasn't “grieving” in the way they expected me to. I felt awkward, uncomfortable, and unsafe with my childhood therapists, and I learned how to bottle up all my feelings during this time.
But it also led me here.
Today, I hold space for people who’ve felt like outsiders, who carry anxiety in their bones, who became caregivers far too young, or who have simply never felt fully seen. In our work together, your “weirdness” is not only welcomed—it’s honored.
Fast Facts about me:
I have purple hair and Halloween tattoos.
I love going to Disneyland, Lake Tahoe, and anywhere tropical.
I love to laugh, and I do so in therapy when appropriate.
I love my quirkiness and invite you to bring yours into our work.
In order to have “me” time, I play Disney Dream Light Valley, Hello Kitty Island Adventure, and Animal Crossing.
I am the proud owner, I mean servant, of two fluffy, flat-faced Persian cats. They run my household, and I love that for them.
Values & Beliefs
The current social and political landscape is heavy. The impact is not evenly distributed—and for those who have been navigating systems of oppression across their lives and generations, the toll can feel cumulative and exhausting.
Feeling scared, angry, disoriented, depleted, caught in cycles of fight, flight, or freeze, noticing unfamiliar emotions, experiencing a resurgence of old wounds or trauma responses, returning to substance use, or reacting in ways that feel confusing or overwhelming are normal and understandable responses to awareness and threat.
Therapy is not about stopping the body’s valid reactions. Rather, therapy can be a space to speak honestly about what’s happening, clarify the values that matter most to you, use those values to guide decision-making, collaborate on grounding and regulation strategies, and explore how you want to show up in ways that feel authentic and aligned—even in the midst of uncertainty.
I believe it is important for people to know my values and framing. Therapists are not blank slates, and bias is real. I strive to create a therapeutic space rooted in transparency and accountability—one where we may hold different beliefs or experiences and still come together as collaborators and co-conspirators in your care.
My values and political orientation are shaped by my lived identities and ongoing education. I am a white, queer, fat, cisgender , semi-disabled person who uses she/they pronouns. I refusal to comply with systems that cause harm.
My work is grounded in a belief in racial justice and liberation, trans rights; disability justice; and bodily autonomy. I practice from a harm-reduction framework around substance use; affirm polyamory, kink, and sex-positive identities; recognize sex work as valid work; and support Health at Every Size. I believe climate change is real, and that access to food, shelter, healthcare, safety, and dignity are basic human rights.
These values inform how I show up in the therapy room—not to impose, but to be honest about the lens I bring, and to ensure you are choosing a therapist whose framework feels aligned, ethical, and supportive for you.
I believe in celebrating the unique qualities that make us, us—not contorting ourselves to fit the expectations of others. We’re all human. We all deserve to be seen, heard and respected. I am committed to creating a world in which we are not only allowed but encouraged to show up fully as ourselves.
Professional Information
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Professional Information ✴
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I earned an Associate of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from De Anza College. I then earned both a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Sociology and a Master of Arts (MA) in Counseling Psychology from Santa Clara University.
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Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California since 2012 (#52107).
Clinical supervisor since 2014.
Brainspotting: Phase 1, 2, 3, and Expansion training
Gottman Level 1 Trained
California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists Santa Clara Valley chapter.
California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists San Francisco Chapter
American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT)
GAYLESTA (The Psychotherapist Association for Gender and Sexual Diversity
WPATH (Word Professional Association for Transgender Health)
I'm certified as a Domestic Violence counselor.
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My earliest forays into the mental health field were teaching neurodivergent adolescents high school English and working with the Support Network for Battered Women (now a division of the YWCA). There, I had the privilege of supporting women and children who had survived significant trauma, including domestic violence, child abuse, and sexual assault.
From there, I embarked on a 10+ year career in community mental health as a case manager and therapist. For the last 7 years in CMH, I served as the Clinical Manager for the largest outpatient team in Santa Clara County at Momentum for Mental Health. In this role, I worked with adolescents and adults, addressing issues like chronic and severe mental illness, homelessness, mood disorders (depression and bipolar disorder), psychotic disorders, substance use disorders, and complex trauma.
Before opening my private practice in 2023, I worked at Elite Focus, specializing in supporting neurodivergent adults, and at Neurocycles Wellness Center, where I provided therapy to students at Cogswell University as well as adults in the broader community.
Additionally, since 2014, I’ve provided clinical supervision to therapists at various organizations, including Momentum for Health, YWCA, Hope Services, The Brown Therapy Group, Shine a Light Counseling Center, Yes to Therapy, Yes to You, and the E-Clinic at Palo Alto University.
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While I do participate in ongoing trainings to deepen my clinical work with LGBTQIA+ clients, much of my understanding comes from long-standing, real-world relationships with friends, family members, colleagues, and clients who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community. I have been working with LGBTQIA+ individuals since 2004, with the majority of my formalized, specialized clinical training occurring post-Master’s.
My continued education has included participation in three separate consultation groups led by WPATH-certified therapists, with a specific focus on transgender, gender-diverse identities, and neurodivergent folx. I completed a 40-hour LGBTQIA+ Clinical Academy through Palo Alto University- Center for LGBTQ Evidence-Based Applied Research (CLEAR) and other trainings specific to kink, ENM, and LGBTQIA2S identities throughout the last 16 years. At the same time, I hold the belief that training alone does not make anyone an “expert” on another person’s lived experience. I approach this work with humility, curiosity, and a commitment to ongoing learning.
Homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of systemic oppression remain deeply embedded in American culture. In recent years—particularly following the 2016 election and amid ongoing waves of anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation—many people have felt increasingly unsafe, targeted, and unseen. These realities are not abstract to me; they directly impact my close friends, chosen family, and clients.
As a cisgender queer woman married to a cisgender man, I am mindful that I do not experience all forms of marginalization firsthand. I do not claim to fully understand what it is like to live under constant threat or erasure. What I do bring is deep care, active advocacy, and a commitment to creating spaces where LGBTQIA+ clients are respected, affirmed, and taken seriously. Supporting diversity, dignity, and self-determination—both inside and outside the therapy room—is central to my work and my values.
Ready to dive in ?
