I specialize in multicultural counseling focused on racial identity, life transitions, and trauma. I work with you through a variety of challenges including anxiety, PTSD, cultural assimilation, and depression. I’m a big fan of real talk, understanding how systemic forms of oppression affect the mental health of BIPOC communities, & practicing self-compassion. I utilize person-centered and strengths-based approaches to help you identify how your life experiences impact how you interact with t...
Some of the areas I have provided treatment for include substance use/abuse, depression, anxiety, grief/loss, and adjustment disorders due to life transitions. For nearly 20 years, I have worked with adults, families, and couples both individually and in group settings. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in the state of California and obtained a Doctorate Degree in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) in 2005. I relocated to the Bay Area in 2020 from Los Angeles. I have worked in num...
If a person has grown up without much care or consideration for their uniqueness or has gone through personal trauma and tragedy as an adult, psychotherapy can help. Psychotherapy can be a way to increase our life satisfaction and to regain a sense of aliveness. In a non-judgmental and compassionate space, we can start a conversation about what matters in life. In therapy, we talk about life’s problems with no criticism or blame. Often our conversation helps to release emotions and to reflect...
The majority of my clinical experience is with health concerns of trauma, grief, depression, anxiety, chronic pain and chronic illness. As a queer person myself, I am a queer-affirming therapist and especially welcome LGBTQ+ clients, as well as clients from other diverse backgrounds and unique life experiences. The core of my work is always humanistic/client-centered, and my interventions include mindfulness, self-compassion, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. ...
Having trained at the University of Notre Dame (Ph.D., M.A.), UC Berkeley (APA-accredited internship) and Stanford (post-doctoral fellowship), I bring rigorous scientific expertise into my clinical work with college students. In fact, I worked at the University Counseling Centers at all three of these schools and have continued to develop a specialized private practice that focuses almost exclusively on college students. I also teach for Pepperdine University in their Graduate School of Educati...
Stella Nova Psychology, Inc. supports women, couples, and LGBTQIA+ folks' mental health so that they can succeed and thrive at school, work, and in their personal lives. We offer individual therapy and couples counseling online throughout California. Our clients are students and professionals seeking support for many common issues, like anxiety, stress, support around life transitions, depression, perfectionism, relationship challenges, trauma, and more. We're a QWOC-owned practice with a ma...
My style can best be described as insight and action-oriented therapy. I believe that once an individual has an improved understanding of their inner workings (thoughts, emotions, behaviors) and patterns of behavior, then they can begin to adopt more healthy ways of living. In sessions, I offer empathy, acceptance, guidance, and understanding, while encouraging clients to show up authentically so that they can work towards personal growth and positive change. I'm a therapist with Octave an...
My training in community mental health settings was an incredible experience as I worked with people battling depression, anxiety, PTSD, and trauma. I have also worked with clients convicted of sexually abusive behaviors. However, I am quite versatile, and I have worked with people needing help in many areas of their lives. I am a psychodynamically trained psychologist. I also believe in using an integrated approach when helping someone to understand the how and why of what got them to this p...
I come from a trauma-informed theoretical orientation. I believe that attachment is often the root of many challenges. I work from a cognitive-behavioral lens with a narrative approach. I am informed by psychodynamic and social-emotional developmental models (Piaget, Erickson, Freud, Maslow). I also use techniques and interventions integrating art, worksheets, media, and psychoeducational books or articles. I have training in motivational interviewing, adoption competency certification, ASIST su...
My clients often appreciate how we can create a safe space where they can comfortably share their experiences. Clients typically enjoy learning and developing practical tools in order to create an improved lifestyle. In building a deeper connection, we can explore the tools you currently use, and collectively figure out the ones that work for you, as well as those that may need to be updated. I work primarily from a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Psychodynamic lens as I believe that our ...
I approach therapy from an integrative standpoint, using evidence-based therapy modalities that best suit the individuals, couples, or groups with whom I am working. I find the exploratory techniques espoused in Psychodynamic models to be core to and underpinning a great deal of my practice. Psychodynamic work, for me, provides a solid foundation of knowledge on which to base my understanding of my client, and it is the basis from which I tailor subsequent interventions, including the use of alt...
Are you interested in a type of counseling that is practical, goal-oriented, and short-term? Want to figure out what's causing you struggle and learn and practice tools to make it better? Tired of endless talk therapy without any change? I use an approach to counseling called TEAM-CBT that was developed by David Burns, MD, at Stanford. Clients who are a good fit are highly motivated to make changes in their life, willing to set specific goals to recover from their struggles, and ready to do the ...
You've got a lot going on. You can usually handle a lot. But right now it's too much; your relationship is changing, your anxiety is increasing, or ways you used to cope aren't working anymore. Maybe you've experienced a loss or trauma and feel out of your element. Or maybe you feel unsatisfied with your life, like you can't ever catch up or achieve what you feel you should. Whatever brings you to therapy, I want to help....
Life as a college student can be so stressful and demanding. You have so many roles that you are expected to show up in and be perfect. Classes, family, friends, choosing a career, creating a network... It can feel overwhelming and like you don't know where to start or even what to do. As your therapist, I'll bring a warm, compassionate, nonjudgmental demeanor into session to help you navigate through all of these thoughts, feelings, and expectations. We'll ground our work in building compas...
I became a therapist after working for many years in business and finance. I was fortunate to then complete a master's and subsequently a doctoral program in Psychology. This professional and academic experience supports the therapy I've been providing for over a decade. By connecting academic theories with my clients' real-life situations and an empathic and thoughtful style, I seek to help clients understand themselves better while supporting their movement forward in positive directions. I...
My hope is to help individuals to gain insight and skills in order to overcome challenges and ultimately help them experience lasting positive change and growth. I'm a therapist with Octave and Evernorth Behavioral Care Group. Octave is a mental health practice providing high-quality care covered by multiple insurances. Evernorth Behavioral Care Group is a behavioral health provider group in-network with Cigna Healthcare and Evernorth. For my availability, please reach out to Octave’s team by...
Having a comfortable and relaxed partnership with your therapist is so important when exploring the raw parts of ourselves. We often keep these tender sides hidden and experience shame that we don’t “have it all together.” In order to feel ready to illuminate issues that need attention, we must be able to deeply trust the person doing that work by our side. I’m compassionate, non-judgmental, real and a little messy – like all humans! I’ve been there too! While I’m learning about what makes yo...
Through a collaborative, strengths-based approach, clients identify places where they feel stuck and learn and practice skills that support their therapy goals. I'm passionate about being a therapist and believe that the therapeutic process is instrumental in helping clients address and navigate difficult life experiences. I believe in making therapy both accessible and enjoyable so that clients walk away with an understanding of the challenges they face and a readiness to embrace a more fulfill...
My therapy style is warm, intuitive, and direct. I am known for a more holistic, integrative approach that considers mind, body, heart, and spirit. Western research-based interventions often create a foundation for treatment, which is then blended with Eastern traditions such as yoga, mindfulness, and philosophy. My experiences as a yogi, dancer, world traveler, artist, and poet lend creativity and range to my extensive clinical expertise. I emphasize authenticity, vulnerability, responsibility,...
I have a background in crisis counseling in a hospital setting as well as with working professionals in the community for several years, working with individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, substance use issues, chronic stress/burnout, relationship issues, and trauma. I help clients to learn skills oriented towards reducing the impact and influence their difficult situations are holding over their lives. Do you find yourself uncontrollably spiraling with your thoughts at the most inconv...