About
So you're ready to take the first step towards reclaiming your mind? I am here to serve you. I focus on helping individuals change their thoughts to change their lives. What does your internal dialogue sound like? Is it working for you or against you? Many of us have very negative internal dialogue with ourselves all day even when we aren't consciously aware of it. What we often don't realize is that this dialogue shapes our whole world. It is the story of our lives. We are our own narrators - stop narrating a story you are reluctant to lead. It is just a thought, and a thought can change. I am here to help you discover a new way of approaching the world around you, simply by helping you explore how your thoughts are shaping how you feel and in turn creating either healthy or maladaptive behavioral patterns in your life. Want to be radically joyful and full of self-love and confidence? Then let's get to work and start the journey of healing your life.
Helping others is my greatest passion. I have a background in psychology as both a client and a clinician and I experienced all too often how frustrating it can be to find adequate help when searching for a clinician to help in times of crisis. Too often I have found people in this field do not actually understand the problems they are allegedly trying to heal. I began my practice as a clinician with the goal of humbly accepting the role of "mirror" in my client's lives. I am not here to tell you what to do or what you should do. Rather, my practice is about listening to what YOU want and what is important to YOU and helping to reflect your true nature back to you, as a precious human life with infinite possibility. Nothing gives me more joy than seeing a client realize that he or she is the writer of his or her own story, and that story is full of possibility when one simply turns their mind away from all the negative beliefs they hold about themselves, and instead goes for the good in their lives and in themselves. Let me help you see who you really are and support you as you cultivate a stronger and deeper sense of that person.
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
Whenever you are ready to start the process I will conduct a brief 20 minute introductory session at your convenience so that we can begin to explore a potential working relationship and you can decide if I am the clinician you want on your support team. My goal is always for you to feel as comfortable as possible, so we will go at your pace. I am only here as your guide; you decide how you want to sail this ship.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I am a graduate of the University of California Santa Barbara with degrees in Psychology and Applied Psychology. I have extensive training through Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz counties relating to treatment modalities and intervention methods and techniques. Certified I-IMR facilitator, experienced dual diagnosis counselor, county-trained in severe mental illness treatment modalities with specialities in schizophrenia and bipolar disorders.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your services? If so, please share the details here.
Typically I charge $50 per hour session, however I offer sliding scale for those who qualify.
How did you get started in this business?
I battled anorexia, severe depression, and crippling anxiety for over ten years. I would never have made it out alive if I had not found the incredible team of practitioners that I had guiding me along my journey. The process taught me the importance of having people in the mental health field whose hearts are in the work they do and who genuinely are interested in helping others without ulterior motives. I learned that there is joy in this world and that with the right people around us, no matter what kind of hell we may be living in, there is always the possibility that things can change for the better.
What types of customers have you worked with?
I have worked with children, adolescents, and adults. I specialize in severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, additionally major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorders as well. Experience helping individuals with disordered eating and body dysmorphia. Focus on serving the individual, not treating a diagnosis. You are not a diagnosis. You are a person. No label defines you.
What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a pro in your area of expertise?
Try out therapists and counselors like you would a pair of shoes - any professional in the helping field is utterly useless if you are not completely comfortable with them. You are in control here, you decide what kind of therapeutic relationship you want. This is for you, and you only, so make sure your first step is to allow yourself to explore who feels best capable of truly hearing you and being the kind of support you are looking for.
What questions should customers think through before talking to pros about their needs?
The first thing I ask my clients to reflect on is always: What do you really want out of your life and what is stopping you from pursuing it?