Let’s Create Change
About Me
Is your glass half full or half empty? Do you wear rose-colored glasses? What do these questions mean, and could we be asking the wrong ones? My goal is to explore, process, and gently question unhealthy patterns to see if we can create more productive ones. I acknowledge the importance of using a culturally sensitive and humble lens throughout the duration of our work. I am able to provide short-term and brief therapy interventions, or longer-term treatment plans dedicated to exploration of your past. My commitment is to meet you where you are, and together we can explore where you want to go next.
Qualifications
University of California Irvine - BA Psychology and Social Behavior
Pepperdine University - MA Clinical Psychology
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
EMDR Trained
Theories of Change
Depending on your goals for therapy, stage of life, and scale for progress, I lean on these theories that will create the most impact. Together, we will collaborate on a treatment plan and continuously monitor progress against those objectives. Below are the theories that I specialize in and why:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT focuses on the premise that our thoughts affect the way we feel and behave. Therefore, if we can restructure our cognitive processes and reframe certain experiences, we can rewire our neural networks to create more adaptive perceptions of ourselves, others, and our future.
Family Systems
It is challenging to explore how our core beliefs came about, without also exploring our families of origin. Family systems theories work from a relational mindset, and explores family dynamics, patterns, modeling, multigenerational traumas, and cultural narratives. In order to heal the individual, it is often necessary to first identify where the seed was planted, and how it came to grow.
Psychodynamic theory explores the past and its influence on the present. During our work together, you may find yourself at a crossroads between your current self and inner child. We can explore these unconscious defense mechanisms using psychodynamic theory to unpack what may be holding you back from moving forward.
The goal for brief therapy is to achieve your goal by uncovering solutions that already exist. By focusing on your internal strengths, doing more of what is already working, and doing something different if it’s not working, we can create a snowball effect of positive change.
EMDR is based on the belief that past emotionally triggering experiences are negatively influencing your present day emotions and thoughts. Whether it was a traumatic incident, or assumptions about a past event, EMDR helps you reprocess the event or core belief through bilateral stimulations. I am EMDR-trained.