My Philosophy:
I love working with people, all different types of people! My life’s path brought me to this work because I find humans utterly fascinating. I believe the human experience is beautiful, even in all it’s pain, challenge, and grief. Working with people intimately to help them grow, bloom and prosper is my ultimate passion. I have a deep infatuation with human functionality; each person is so different and the way in which we interact with and take in the world varies greatly. Although I have biases because I myself am human, I strive to be as diplomatic and understanding as possible when working with people. My dedication to this work and my desire to care for people pushes me to work on my growing edges. I believe if you are teaching or encouraging something, you also need to be continually learning it yourself. Learning is a big part of my practice. Like anyone else, my background informs who I am and how I work. So I will tell you a bit about myself.
My Background:
The women pictured above are my biological grandmothers. This picture was taken on a beach in Delaware which I have frequented my whole life. I placed this picture here because I believe the stories of how we came to be are important. They inform who we are. This does not mean they imprison us or that they determine an outcome, but they provide information which can be used as an antidote in our lives. We learn and grow through and from history. A big part of my job is gathering information, some of this information is background information about your life and your family life, as well as, information about inner conflicts, desires, and strengths. As a counselor and coach, I will help you discover or rediscover parts of yourself not being utilized. I believe one of my most valuable strengths is helping others excavate the strengths that reside within them. Sometimes all it takes is a little time, patience, and digging.
My formal training began at the University of Colorado at Boulder where I majored in Psychology and Sociology. I declared a psychology major before entering college. I loved my high school AP Psychology course and I was thirsty to learn more. Then I took a number of sociology courses and found myself enamored by social justice work, specifically race, sex, and gender studies. I went on to live in San Francisco where I explored a few different professional fields before landing back in psychology. I went on the receive a Master in Integral Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies. I learned and immersed myself in a multitude of therapeutic modalities which guide my work as a holistic practitioner. In my last year at CIIS I held my first internship at George Washington High School in San Francisco. I loved working as a school therapist as well as working with teens but I wanted to explore other age groups. I went on to work at St. Clements School in Hayward with children in kindergarten through eighth grade. I am in my fifth year of work at St. Clements. I started as a part-time therapist and eventually worked my way up to being their full-time counselor. I created my own position. I have worked with students of all ages and their families. I work closely with parents individually as well as in family and couples counseling. I work closely with the staff too, consulting on behavioral issues and working to help each child grow into the best students and individuals they can be.