About

Hello! I am a licensed clinical psychologist based in San Diego, California (pronouns she/her) . In my 10+ years of experience, I have worked with a diverse range of children, teens, adults, and seniors with a wide variety of diagnoses ranging from generalized anxiety and major depression to chronic paranoid schizophrenia and personality disorders. I put a great deal of focus on increasing my clients' self-acceptance, which includes aiding them in rising above stereotypes and stigmas. My particular areas of expertise include LGBTQIA+ issues, polyamory, chronic pain, negative self-talk, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, body image, and interpersonal communication.

The therapy I provide is primarily based in Cognitive Behavioral and Acceptance and Commitment Therapies. I believe that everyone is the expert on themselves, and that it is my role to assist people in the process of creating the road map for their individual emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. My counseling style is pretty laid back, and I am always open to questions. I have been described as supportive, relatable, and compassionate, with a pretty good sense of humor. I like to focus on identifying your strengths and helping you to maximize them to overcome your obstacles in a safe place to be open and honest without fear of judgment. You have taken the first and most important step by reaching out for help!

Should you feel in need of urgent help or that you are in crisis at any time during our work together; please call 1-800-273-TALK 24 hours a day; or 911. This forum does not provide any type of emergency services, so I want to be sure you know who to contact if you need immediate help.

I encourage you to write to me as often and as much as you like - the therapy "room" is open 24 hours a day, seven days per week. I typically respond to all messages within 24 hours Monday-Friday. On weekends I tend to take longer, due to family obligations and my own need to relax and recharge. If there is a message you would like me to respond to sooner, please mark it as urgent, and I will get back to you as quickly as I can. Please only use this option when it is truly urgent, but not an emergency. It is also possible to schedule a live video, phone, or chat session - if you click on the schedule tab on the left-hand side of the page, you can see what times I have available. These sessions can occur up to once a week and last 30 minutes, unless we have discussed alternative lengths in advance. Please note that my availability for live sessions does vary from week-to-week, but that I will continue to check messages on days I cannot meet live.

You are not alone. Things can and will get better. I'm really looking forward to working with you!