About Me
“Discovering the truth about ourselves is a lifetime’s work, but it’s worth the effort.” – Fred Rogers
“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference.” – Serenity Prayer
I have been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) since 2011. I started working in the counseling field in 2005 at an agency called Seneca Center. My first job with Seneca was at a group home for teenagers. It was a locked facility that worked with foster youth that no other group homes work with. To say it was hard and challenging is an understatement, but I loved it! It made me certain I wanted to become a therapist, and after several years at the group home, I pursued my Master’s in Social Work at Cal State East Bay. After graduating, I worked as therapist at a Seneca school for students with Emotional Disabilities for three years. I then moved to a specialized program (Multi-Systemic Therapy) at Seneca. MST worked with the families of youth on probation who were at risk of going back to jail. I had the honor of working with families all over Alameda County. I met with parents in their homes, at schools, in the courts, and in the community. During this time, I became a fully Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
I then had an opportunity to work at Children’s Hospital Oakland, helping to run their Behavioral Emergency Response Team. I worked in the Emergency Room and throughout the hospital responding to and consulting with medical staff to behavioral crises, such as suicidal statements, anger issues, assaultive behaviors, and threatening others. Working in conjunction with the Department of Psychiatry, I administered the suicide assessments for children and teens brought to the hospital and I coordinated with their families and community members.
While doing these jobs, I began a small private practice in Oakland. In addition, I helped form and run a men’s group. When exciting professional opportunities took my family to Brown University for three years, I continued my private practice in Providence, Rhode Island. I have now moved back to my home town of Santa Cruz, where I solely focus on my private practice.
My Approach & Values
I am very direct, engaged, often light-hearted and humorous at times with my clients. In sessions, I use metaphors and practical examples to help clients better understand concepts. I practice exercises in session with clients that they can then use to confront issues they are working on in the week between sessions. I also use my white board to visually conceptualize problems a client is facing as well as skills they can use for that problem.
I value feedback and often check in with clients throughout therapy to get a sense of what approaches are helpful, and which are not resonating. I see your time and my time as valuable and I want you to get the most out of our work together. I value working hard to create an accepting and supportive space for people from diverse cultures and gender identities. I value being accountable to my clients and providing current, evidence-based therapy to them, and I also recognize what is outside the scope and my practice and make appropriate referrals when needed.
A meta analysis of success in therapy found over numerous studies that there were two important factors: Therapist Alliance (feeling like your therapist “get’s you”) and Having the Same Treatment Goals (your therapist and you getting some goals (or a direction of where you want to be) in place, and working towards those goals). I use these factors as some guiding principals of my work.
You are more than welcome to contact me or call me and I would be happy to chat more and see if we would be a good fit.
