About

I am a Clinical Mental Health Counselor licensed in Utah since 2005. My heritage by bloodline is Mayan Indian and this is an important part of my spirituality, identity, and lifestyle. I am also an artist, musician, and martial arts practitioner. I have been using the arts and imagination to help people connect to their spiritual source and innate healing abilities for over twenty years. Using a combination of techniques learned and practiced from creative arts therapies, somatic depth psychology, research from neuroscience, and more standard behavioral health modalities, I am able to draw from a wide variety of tools and perspectives to guide you through whatever difficulties you may be experiencing.

I began my training working with traumatized children in the 1990s, using art, dance, and music to help children express themselves and heal from horrible experiences. At the same time, I began training in neurofeedback and neuroscience so that I could better understand the mind-body connection. I eventually earned a masters degree in both mental health counseling and expressive arts therapy. Later, I earned my doctoral degree in somatic depth psychology or Jungian psychology, which helps bring in deeper understandings about the human soul and our connection to each other and to nature through our bodies and souls. My research has focused on healing historical trauma in indigenous communities through reconnection to traditional culture.

I have worked in hospitals, jails, schools, substance abuse treatment centers, and outpatient and inpatient clinics, with people of every age, color, and socioeconomic background. I have worked with the seriously mentally ill and people who just need some guidance or someone to talk things out with. Wherever you are in life, you can trust me to listen deeply without criticism or judgement, to help you find the direction you are seeking.

To better understand my approach, let me explain to you my basic beliefs in life, people, and how to be balanced, healthy and well. I believe in each individual's ability to navigate life's difficulties and to find their true path and authentic meanings. I believe each of us holds ancient wisdom within us that we can draw upon--collective wisdom of ancestors recorded in books, traditions, and even in our own bodies. I believe in the human need for intimacy, bonding, and social community. These are difficult times when the modern world tends to isolate and divide people from each other and the pressure to succeed overrides health and happiness. Connecting to your authentic self will help you find rewarding connections with others. I believe in helping people connect to their own sense of spirituality, wherever and however they find it. I also emphasize the importance of listening to your body to find good sources of food, rest, and exercise. Health and wellness of the mind and heart cannot be separated from the body, community and environment.

I look forward to hearing your stories, listening deeply, and offering guidance to help you find your own path to better health and wellness!