About Me
As a child, I tried to “be good” as a way to get love and validation. As a teenager and young adult, I tried to “do well” and “fix” everything and everyone to feel valuable and worthy. I spent time and energy pushing down my emotions only to feel helpless as I watched them erupt uncontrollably creating chaos in my relationships, life, mind and body.
Therapy changed my life by providing me the freedom to try less and experience more. Therapy helped me learn that strength is not convincing myself and the world that I’m fine when I am not. Strength is being courageous. Courageous enough to be honest about my own experience and ask for help when I need it. Courageous enough to show up as my authentic self and quiet the self-doubt that is born from fear, guilt, and shame. Courageous enough to find love, validation, and worthiness within myself rather than seeking it by performing for others. Courageous enough to allow myself to believe that just by existing I am enough. And courageous enough to love myself even when I am not feeling courageous at all.
My own personal therapy inspired me to follow this career path to share what I have learned with others as well as continue my own self-growth which I consider a never-ending journey. I have a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology, with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from California State University Long Beach and I am a registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist supervised by Debbie Freeman, LMFT #20893. My approach is compassionate, empathetic, and direct. I love working with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. It is an honor to be able to work with people every day who are seeking to heal, grow, and love themselves. Whatever it is you seek, I would be grateful to be a part of your journey.
“i kept running away
from my darkness
until i understood
that in it i would
find my freedom”
— yung pueblo