My Background

For over fifteen years I have worked as a psychotherapist, educator, clinical supervisor, and researcher. I earned my Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University and my Ph.D. in Social Work at UCLA.  My research and writing has focused on mental health and resilience, multicultural psychology, HIV/AIDS, and the experience of parenting.  My background has trained me to see people in context and to focus on strength and resiliency. 

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT#40283), and completed much of my clinical training at AIDS Project Los Angeles and Southern California Counseling Center.

I have taught graduate students and been a Lecturer at UCLA for 10 years.  I also provide trainings and workshops for a variety of academic and non-profit organizations throughout Los Angeles.

I live in Los Angeles with my husband of 23 years, our identical twin boys, and our dog Petey.

My Approach to Change

I believe the capacity to change and heal exists within all of us. 

People often come to see me believing that there must be something inherently flawed about them.  Rather than seeing people as defective, I see us as grappling with the normal struggles of being human. We come to where we are in our lives because of our relationships and histories -- with our partners, our families, our culture and community, our spirituality, and even through our relationship with our self (our thoughts, beliefs, and perceptions). We’re all doing the best we can, given our current contexts and resources.

Change doesn’t occur in a vacuum.

We all need communities of support to have the courage to access our inner wisdom, to come home to the best version of our selves, and to live our life to its fullest.  My job is to help bring forth your own unique motivation, capacities, and values– to help you develop the skills to enable you to be more fully YOU.  You don’t have to stay stuck in habits or relationships that don’t serve you. Through a supportive, therapeutic relationship, healing, growth, and change can occur. 

If my approach resonates with you, I invite you to connect with me to see if we might enjoy working together.