I am a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of California. I obtained my doctoral and master’s degree in clinical psychology with a focus on family and couples therapy from an American Psychological Association-accredited institution at the California School of Professional Psychology. I completed my post-doctoral fellowship at Rose City Counseling Center in Pasadena where I received extensive training and supervision on psychodynamic psychotherapy. My pre-doctoral training were completed at Metropolitan State Hospital, Kaiser Permanente, and AIDS Project Los Angeles. Prior to these experiences, I received my bachelor’s degree at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Theoretical Orientation
My practice consists of individual psychodynamic psychotherapy for adults. I place particular emphasis on the unconscious, early childhood experiences, and defense mechanisms, to name a few, as I believe these are the driving forces behind our behaviors and how we engage with the world. Additionally, I use Differentiation-based approach to couple’s therapy. This approach focuses on intimacy with oneself (i.e. ability to self-regulate and tolerate anxiety) and one’s partner (i.e. building a meaningful relationship without changing him/her).
Specialty
I’ve worked with individuals on a broad range of issues and I specialize in the following areas:
Women’s issues – These can refer to a broad range of issues that affect women’s psychological and emotional health. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevent (CDC), women experience higher rates of depression and anxiety than men. Biopsychosocial factors such as career planning, finding a partner, fertility, and motherhood are some of the issues that impact women. These are some of the issues I see in the female clients I work with. If you are experiencing distress and finding it difficult to manage your psychological well-being, speaking to someone can be a great way to explore and understand your problem.
Work/Life Balance – Work-Life balance is described as the balance people employ to manage their day-to-day responsibilities and self-care. Work/life balance may not only look different for individuals but can also differ for the individual themselves depending on their stage of life (i.e. single, married, retired, etc.). I work with individuals to identify stressors that reduce their ability to manage their roles and find more effective strategies to promote a sense of well-being.
Relationship issues – Relationship issues are common in individual and couple’s psychotherapy. Many people, at one point or another, experience difficulties in the areas of intimacy, communication, trust, abuse (emotional and physical), finances, and addiction. Therapy can provide you with an opportunity to identify areas of your relationship that is causing you distress, help you understand your role in your dynamic, and find new ways to address conflicts.
Parenting – Parents face many challenges. And as your child(ren) continue to grow, it may be difficult to tackle them alone or even with your partner. Parents may have difficulty raising a child with behavioral problems, special needs, substance abuse, and trauma. In addition, parents can face more challenges when their own style of parenting differ from that of their partner, which can make raising a child more difficult. I work with parents to identify their child’s problematic behavior, identify their own strengths and limitations as parents, reduce any shame and guilt surrounding their roles as parents, and learn ways to support one another.
Mood disorders – Mood disorders refer to emotional disturbances that last for a prolonged period of time and can interfere with your ability to function. Many people experience some form of a mood disorder at some point in their lifetime and this can be episodic or chronic. Being more aware of changes to your mental health and seeking help is an important way to manage your depression or anxiety so that you regain a sense of control. I work with clients to identify the underlying causes of their mood disorder, identify patterns and contributing factors that may exacerbate what there are going through, and find alternative strategies to manage their condition.