I believe in collaborating with my clients to create a treatment plan which will lead to the most holistic healing. I believe in a humanistic perspective with my clients, meaning I consider my clients a whole person while believing they have the inner ability to create change. I see myself as a guide more than an instructor. I use a balance of deep compassion and empathy with exploring and challenging my clients to help them understand and see their inner ability to change and be powerful. 
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 I am trained in a wide variety of evidenced-based psychotherapeutic and somatic techniques.  I integrate both my training and experience as a clinician with my training and experience as a yoga teacher. Ultimately, I believe in listening and understanding my clients, while helping them increase their understanding and connection to their power. 

Experience:

My clinical experience started before becoming a therapist during my undergraduate years working with children with autism and related disorders. I also worked as a recovery coach at a transitional living facility for eating disorders. This experience led to my desire to return to school and receive my Masters of Arts in Clinical Psychology, with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy. 

During my training in graduate school and internship after, I worked in a community mental health clinic which focused on serving lower income children, adolescents, adults and families. Additionally, I served children, adults and their families who were looking for reunification due to instances of child abuse. In my experience there, I learned to appropriately diagnose, treat and facilitate healing with individuals and their families.

My passion and desire to help those with eating disorders, trauma and related struggles led me to expand my career development. I began working as a Primary Therapist in a Residential Treatment Facility for several years. As a Primary Therapist, I engaged in individual, family and group psychotherapy. I gained more experience with children, adolescents and young adults of both genders struggling with eating disorders, body image, trauma, depression, anxiety and related issues. I grew to love assisting these bright and talented individuals find their power and strength during the recovery process, while creating healing with in the family. 

During my time working in residential treatment, I gained my Yoga Teacher Certification and began integrating holistic interventions with my clients. I led yoga therapy groups individually with clients and groups in Intensive Outpatient Treatment. I began to understand the importance of treating the mind with the body. I used this training and experience to help create relaxation groups in residential treatment. 

After working in residential treatment, I began working in the Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) level of care at a facility which focused on the treatment of eating disorders and trauma. Here, I became trained in EMDR, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing, an evidenced-based treatment for all forms of trauma. With this training, I further developed my holistic treatment approach by integrating evidenced-based cognitive, emotional and somatic treatments with my clients. I again created curriculum for and led mind/body (yoga and meditation) groups, emphasizing the somatic (or body) approach to healing. 

Along with my clinical experience of integrating holistic care, I have many years of experience teaching yoga in studio settings. I have earned my Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher 200 Level and Certified Continue Education Provider distinction from the Yoga Alliance. In both studio and clinical settings, my goal as a yoga teacher is to assist my students in gaining a deeper connection with their body through mindfulness. 

Education:​

• Bachelor of Arts, Psychology- California Polytechnique University, Pomona- Pomona, CA 
• Master of Arts, Clinical Psychology, emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy- Azusa Pacific University- Azusa, CA
• Certified 200 Level Yoga Instructor- Green Tara Yoga School- Upland, CA

Specialized Training:

• Certified Eating Disorder Specialist and Supervisor- International Association of Eating Disordered Professionals
• EMDR Basic Training- Maiberger Institute- Boulder, CO
• EMDR Advanced Training, Somatic Interventions and EMDR- Maiberger Institute- Boulder, CO
• Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute- Level 1 & 2
• Body Project - Selective Eating Disorder Prevention Program
• Certified Telebehavioral Health Practitioner- Telebehavioral Health Institute