Hello!

As a mental health counselor with a multicultural personal background, with culturally rich life experiences and education, I welcome you to participate in a safe space with an ally who:

• is genuine with you while listening and while being with you in the here and now,

• is equipped with the appropriate mental health knowledge, competencies, and attitudes to facilitate safe counseling sessions

• adopts effective and evidence-based counseling interventions according to your needs, values, and motivations

• collaborates with you in a spirit of empathy, compassion, respect, and pursuit of well-being and justice,

• is honest when giving you constructive feedback, guidance, and, perhaps, even homework

• is professional in all encounters with you

My approach is trauma-informed and very firmly grounded in relational and culturally sensitive practices. I believe that this approach leads to real, practical, help as well as transformational insight.

I do not see insight, thought, emotion, and behavior as separate. Even when the counseling focus is strategically on one distinct issue, I am mindful that the work is for the sake of the whole person. In that, my approach is well-rounded.

My work experience is with adults, couples, and families. Also, I have experience in facilitating groups (wellness groups, psychoeducation groups, and groups geared toward psychotherapeutic processing). I used very often, but not exclusively, motivational interviewing (MI), dialectical-behavioral therapy (DBT), and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).  I have worked with individuals, groups, and families presenting issues related to recovery from substance abuse (e.g., impulsivity, co-dependency, social isolation, depression and anxiety, trauma history, boundary-related difficulties, self-esteem issues, relapse prevention coping skills, stress). I have also worked with individuals who wanted help with managing symptoms related to mood and personality disorders (e.g., emotional regulation, anger management, self-esteem issues, trust issues, communication difficulties, social isolation, adjustment issues, self-acceptance, self-love).

Wishing you well and wellness -of which you are worthy!