Specialty Areas: Anxiety, Chronic Stress, Chronic Medical Conditions, Acculturation/Immigrant experience and Identity Development
About Me
My approach integrates psychodynamic, intercultural, and mind-body principles, shaping every psychotherapy session. My personal and professional experiences have shaped my focus on holistic work that enhances well-being by addressing anxiety, depression, and chronic stress. I focus in acculturation, psychological flexibility, identity development, and the mind-body connection.
People who come see me seek a psychologist who helps them explore how past experiences shape their present and how their unique identities influence their worldview. They come for a fresh perspective in a space rooted in openness and curiosity.
My Training
Key Training: Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Biofeedback, Psychodynamic Therapy
My training has focused in addiction medicine, chronic pain, and identity development work within community centers and hospital settings, including the LA LGBT Center, Kaiser Permanente, and Harbor UCLA Medical Center.
While I utilize CBT, DBT, and ACT skills depending on individual needs and goals, my approach is often influenced by psychodynamic psychotherapy.
The more I started working with diverse peoples, the more I understood the mind-body connection. I especially focus on how the nervous system can be deeply impacted by trauma, anxiety, depression, and lack of connection. I regularly use biofeedback, mindfulness, and self-compassion interventions in my psychotherapy to promote healing of both the mind and body.
My Approach
My psychotherapy style is process-focused. We are both active participants, and we focus on your strengths, challenges, and goals together.
I flexibly integrate both evidence-based therapies and innovative techniques to support your mental health, well-being and identity development.
I have specialized training in several evidence-based practices as well as identity development, such as intercultural, bicultural, interracial and LGBTQIAH+ identities.
With our collaboration, I can determine what could be most helpful for you in our process. I use our sessions to help you find a sense of ease, inner peace and relational security. I can help you develop a greater sense of self-compassion and curiosity.
My clinical work is also deeply impacted by my lived experiences.
I often moved internationally due to my parent’s diplomatic work. This way of life led me to increase my knowledge and skills in moving in an intercultural environment that was usually different from my own. My experiences impacted my research and clinical focus.
My research has focused on exactly this component of the human experience: how living through different cultures can impact sense of cultural identity and coping as an adult.
