I was born and raised in Southern California with two older brothers and lots of dogs over the years. Much of my childhood was spent playing sports, going to the lake with family and friends, and heading to the beach as much as possible.
After high school, I moved to San Diego and quickly fell in love with the city. I knew fairly early on that I wanted to work in the mental health field and began volunteering with individuals struggling with homelessness and severe mental illness while completing my undergrad in Psychology at San Diego State University. Shortly after graduation, I began working at a long-term residential treatment center, where I spent the next 15 years learning from some of the best in the field of mental health. I also went on to complete my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy at the University of San Diego. I held individual therapist, Lead Clinician of Family Services, Clinical Supervisor, and Clinical Director roles prior to developing a Class A private practice for San Diego and beyond at Pathways Family Therapy.
Those coming to see me for therapy are generally working on trauma, anxiety, depression, stage of life changes, and relationship issues. I also specialize in treating individuals with Bipolar Disorder, Personality Disorders, and Schizophrenia as well as families who have loved ones navigating these illnesses. The bulk of my training is in Systems Theory which views individuals within the context of their relationships and environment; healing, therefore, may involve adjustments to our relationships and environment. I pull from a variety of approaches and modalities, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Structural Family Therapy, Attachment-based, Emotion-Focused, and Bowen Systems Therapy.