Therapy that helps you feel seen, not judged.
My Approach
Therapy with me isn’t prescriptive—it’s a partnership. I’ll bring expertise in relational and emotional dynamics, and you’ll bring the deep knowledge of your own life. We’ll work together to understand what’s happening beneath the surface so that you can choose new ways of relating to yourself and others.
Whether we’re unpacking the stories you’ve carried for years or working through what’s happening right now, my goal is to create a space where insight leads to choice—and where you feel equipped to move forward with clarity and intention.
Personalized & Evidence-based
My approach is personalized and evidence-based. It integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, the Gottman Method, and emotionally focused work, all tailored to your specific needs and goals.
My Passion for Couples Work
One of my greatest passions as a therapist is guiding partners to discover that what feels impossible often comes down to learning new ways of connecting, moving from patterns of blame to curiosity, and from disconnection to understanding. Within the context of a close relationship, we have so many surfaces to explore, including each partner as well as the relationship and dynamic itself. I find that as long as both partners are open to the possibility that things can improve—and of course open to the fact that everyone plays a role—almost any relationship can move from tension to harmony.
About Me
My Professional Background
By the time I was 12-years-old I knew I wanted to become a clinical psychologist. Although the core of that calling has never changed—which is my fundamental focus on helping people—my career has been less linear than I had imagined. I earned my PhD in Clinical Psychology in 2011 from the SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program. I specialized in Behavioral Medicine, which uses psychological and behavioral strategies to help people make lasting lifestyle changes to promote health and prevent and manage chronic disease. Along the way, I also earned my Masters in Public Health with a focus on Health Promotion. I bring a public health lens to my work as a therapist, recognizing that our perceptions and experiences are shaped by a complex interplay between our unique selves, our interpersonal relationships, and the community and society surrounding us.
After completing my graduate training, I spent >10 years as a faculty member in UC San Diego’s Department of Family Medicine and Public Health. During that time, I led a program of research designed to help people make desired changes for their health, like being more physically active, eating more mindfully, quitting smoking, and reducing or eliminating substance use. In 2022, I entered the next phase of my career as a leader in the digital health industry, where we deliver evidence-based health behavior change programs at scale. These professional experiences give me a unique lens on how people grow, change, and thrive across contexts, and how life can take you in directions you never imagined and bring you fulfillment in unexpected ways.
My Training and Experience as a Therapist
I’ve worked with individuals as a therapist since 2006 and have been licensed to practice psychology independently in California since 2014 (PSY 27116). Throughout my training and practice I’ve worked with people in a variety of settings, including outpatient and inpatient clinics, the VA Health System, and Integrated Behavioral Health programs embedded within primary care. Over the years, I’ve worked with people facing depression, anxiety, burnout, substance use, chronic disease, health behavior change, major life transitions, and—at the core of it all—challenges with healthy coping strategies and interpersonal relationships. All of these experiences have shaped my compassionate understanding of human experiences and informed my approach to therapy and coaching.