Pronouns

she/her

Location

Virtual for California residents

Education/Certification

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (CA and CO)

Perinatal Mental Health Specialist- PMHC

Prenatal/Postpartum Anxiety and Depression, reproductive grief/loss, adjustment to parenting, PTSD, eating disorders, body image, sexual trauma

Words you live by:

Come as you are. You are enough! I truly believe that there is beauty in unraveling. Let things unravel and explore the new places you discover beauty.

What is the spectrum of the clients that you currently serve in the reproductive health space?

I serve birthgivers who have experienced traumatic births/pregnancies, those who have experienced or are experiencing surrogacy, first time parents who are navigating adjusting  to parenthood, birthgivers who also may struggle with an eating disorder/disordered eating, those who have body image concerns related to pregnancy/postpartum related to the many changes in the body, BIPOC caregivers and experiences related to access to culturally informed care, and those who have experienced sexual trauma.

How would you define your style of therapy, especially as it relates to perinatal support?

The word that best captures my therapeutic style as it relates to perinatal support is humanizing. I invite birthgivers into a space that is validating, nurturing, exploratory, and meaningful. A space where they are invited to share their truths in an unfiltered way. Where they can be unapologetically vulnerable and free. It's a space that for many is the first time they have truly been seen. My hope is that in our work together we capture their experience, not the experience others have pressured them to have. My hope is to not only highlight the pregnancy as just this overly celebratory experience that boasts of happiness but to also create a space where birthgivers and caregivers can share and validate experiences that may be different from that. In this therapeutic space all experiences are welcomed and validated.

You incorporate the techniques of EMDR and brainspotting into your work with your clients. We’ve heard so much about how these both yield really powerful results. Can you tell us more about them?

Tools like EMDR and Brainspotting (BSP) help clients to heal in ways that in some cases talk therapy may not allow them to access. They work by allowing the brain to do what it naturally knows how to do and that is, HEAL. Oftentimes when working with clients, those new to therapy and those who have been in therapy for many years, a common concern I hear is “I am tired of talking about it”. I provide these tools as an option in the hopes that we are able to accomplish just that. EMDR and BSP work by accessing memory networks through bilateral stimulation which allows the client to process certain incident while also working simultaneously to deactivate the nervous system, allowing the client to ground themselves for a safe and comfortable experience. 

Many of the clients I work with appreciate the flexibility of being able to utilize these tools alongside talk therapy. I have had the pleasure of helping clients heal from a variety of things by  utilizing EMDR and BSP  including postpartum anxiety/depression, body image concerns, eating disorders/disordered eating patterns, various traumas, anxiety surrounding receiving care, concerns related to culturally informed care or lack of culturally informed care, and much more. They are both, in my opinion, powerful tools that really help clients heal in ways they have never been able to access before.

What inspires your work?

Simply put, LIFE. I feel so fortunate to be doing the work that I am able to do. It truly is what continues to inspire me.  Healing and supporting those as they heal are the monuments of my inspiration. There is something truly magical and exhilarating when you are able to witness healing. As therapists we are not always fortunate enough to share how much our clients and the work they do inspires us, but it truly does and it is what keeps me going. Knowing that the work that we do truly does create change inspires me everyday.

What do you do for self care?

My rituals for self-care change almost daily. I try to be intentional about assessing my needs. Sometimes self-care is sitting in silence, doing something creative, DIY renovations at home, taking a dip in the pool or a ride on my peloton between clients, taking a mental health day, acknowledging my feelings and validating them,spending time with my family, going on vacation alone, reading a book, or simply doing nothing at all and giving myself time for respite. My motto when it comes to self-care is simply just doing what makes me feel authentic. It's honoring the good, the bad, and the ugly. It's not always about packaging things in pretty little boxes with a bow, but sometimes about challenging myself to not package anything at all.

What is something that most people don’t know about you?

Most people do not know that I am very shy and introverted. I am extremely passionate about the work that I do and at times this may sometimes allow me to appear extroverted because I can easily have discussions, participate in speaking engagements, and  other activities without hesitancy. I love the work that I do and it is truly an honor to me. It allows me to show up in spaces that I would normally feel hesitant or nervous.