About Me
Hello!
I am a Black and Multi-Ethnic, Nonbinary, Queer Intersectional Feminist born and raised in Southern California. My experience with other-ness has taught me the value of loving on intersecting cultural identities and how these values ping-pong off the value systems of those around and beside me. While I am boundaried and mindful with how much of myself I share in the therapeutic space, I offer my whole self as a mirror and model for sitting in your Power and Authentic Self.
I am fortunate to live in a space where I practice cultivating my own joy while caring for my (many) pandemic house plants, being intentional with how I transition back to interacting with the public amidst this COVID uncertainty, and answering to my Heads of Household, Dr. Watson the Chihuahua and Otie the Jack Russell terrier.
I have been practicing therapy since 2015 with older adults, young children, Families of Color, and Adult Children of Emotionally Unavailable Caregivers. My trauma and culturally-informed approach allows for a wide berth as my clients and I explore how the heck they got here and what to do about it now.
Education
B.S., Religious Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara
M.S., Marriage and Family Therapy, California State University at Long Beach
My Approach
You do not exist in a vacuum.
I will sit with you as you untangle what was never yours to hold in the first place. There are so many things happening around and to you that have nothing to do with you. However, because you were raised in an environment that depended on your commitment to assimilating and doing as others did, you lost what made you different, authentic, and powerful. All I ask is that you come as you are, and I will commit to working with whatever amount of willingness you bring to each session.
Your difficulty with boundaries are a direct result of your upbringing.
My approach to setting and holding boundaries is at it’s core a commitment to the ideal that “no” is a complete sentence. It is likely you were never allowed to say no, because this threatened your safety by either abandonment and/or rejection. You and I will explore how the fear of saying no fed so many of your own negative beliefs while I provide you the space to give your voice permission to be heard.
Your anger is important and valid.
I believe that change and comfort cannot exist at the same time. Anger/rage, hurt, jealousy, grief- these have been such points of contention in our communities as they are frequently pushed down and hidden in order to create sameness and comfort. Graceful healing means acceptance of ALL feelings, even the uncomfortable and sticky ones.
Forgiveness is not necessary for you to heal.
My approach focuses on acceptance, not forgiveness. Forgiveness is not a bad word, but rather an act that often silences your grief and pain in order to clear the conscience of another. You matter, and it is not necessary for you to forgive the people that hurt you in order for you to be okay. I will create space for you to grieve the person or community that let you down so that you may be given an opportunity to move forward with grace and acceptance.
"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style."
— Dr. Maya Angelou
"YOU CAN'T BE HESITANT ABOUT WHO YOU ARE."
—Viola Davis
