About Me
I am a registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (#137997), and I am proud to provide therapy in Pasadena for individual adults, individual children, couples, families, and groups! Together, in a safe, warm, and genuine therapeutic relationship, we will de-escalate the negative patterns affecting your life, get to know your protective and wounded parts of self that may be feeling stuck and unseen, uncover your authentic self, and develop new patterns for soulful living. Life can be messy and complicated, and it can also be beautiful and full of wonder and joy. I believe therapy should reflect all of that.
My Therapeutic Approach
I use knowledge of multiple therapeutic models to shape each client’s healing path in a way that honors their unique, intersecting identities and therapeutic goals. While person-centered in my overall approach, my work is informed by models like Internal Family Systems (IFS), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Polyvagal and somatic theories, and psychodynamic therapy.
Trained in Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), I collaborate with clients holistically to process trauma and adverse life experiences while prioritizing harm reduction and fostering client empowerment. My approach incorporates proven emotional regulation and mindfulness skills as needed, as well as experiential art-, nature-, and body-based interventions to deepen the connection between the mind, body, and soul, thus optimizing your soul’s ability to self-heal.
Not sure what all those therapy terms mean? Few non-therapists do! Click here for some quick definitions.
My clinical practice thus far has provided me with valuable experience working with individual adults, children and teens, couples, and families navigating the effects of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, self-esteem, addiction, grief, spiritual trauma and religious deconstruction, neurodivergence, marriage and relationships (including ethical/consensual non-monogamy), sexual stressors, parenting skills, anger management, and more. As a member and supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community, I am committed to inclusivity in my work and am identity-affirming.
Education
M.A., Marriage & Family Therapy
TOURO UNIVERSITY WORLDWIDE
B.A., Communication
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
Training
Integrative Polyvagal Theory for Trauma, Anxiety, Depression, Anger, & Attachment, DEB DANA, LCSW, SHERRIE ALL, Ph.D., ALEXIA ROTHMAN, Ph.D., & STEPHEN PORGES, Ph.D. (2024)
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing, EMDR INSTITUTE (2023)
Advanced Training Certificate, Ecotherapy, PACIFICA GRADUATE INSTITUTE (2022)
Transforming Trauma with Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy, DR. SUE JOHNSON (2023)
Healing Traumatic Wounds, & Alleviating Anxiety, Depression, and Addiction with Internal Family Systems, ALEXIA ROTHMAN, Ph.D. (2023)
Suicide Assessment & Intervention, SALLY SPENCER-THOMAS, Psy.D. (2023)
Healing from Affairs: Moving Past the Trauma of Betrayal & Infidelity, TAMMY NELSON, Ph.D. (2023)
A (Very) Quick Therapy Glossary
Emotionally Focused Therapy
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a form of therapy that inspires change through de-escalation of negative patterns and conflict, restructuring emotional experiences that define people's sense of self and others, and consolidating new patterns. EFT stems from attachment theory, which examines our responses to relationships, based on early relationships with caregivers.
Internal Family Systems/Parts Work
Internal Family Systems is a type of therapy that helps clients identify and befriend the sub-personalities – wounded parts and self-protective parts – within their mental system. Aside from these many "Parts," IFS proposes that everyone has a core, genuine Self that can be accessed to help the protective and wounded parts coexist more effectively.
Psychodynamic Theory
Psychodynamic theory focuses on the roots of suffering through development of insight. This work explores the impact of the past, including significant relationships, and uses the relationship between the therapist and client "as a window into problematic relationship paterns in the [client's] life," (Shedler, ‘10).
Polyvagal Theory
Polyvagal theory offers a model to help clients understand their responses through the lens of their nervous system. Especially for people who have experienced trauma, understanding the nervous system and our learned responses, either into active protection or shut down, can help us navigate back to a baseline of feeling connected and safe.
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences. EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma.