About

Same old story?

Transformation requires a different kind of conversation, one that gets you past the same old story. You already know what’s going on; you just can’t figure out why things don’t change.

In an atmosphere of non-judgment, different parts of yourself will have the opportunity to emerge. We will make new connections and explore the unconscious beliefs that are influencing your feelings and behaviors.

I am trained in both traditional depth psychotherapy and mind/body approaches. The combination is highly effective. My clients have been able to contact the subconscious information that produces the internal shifts and replaces the outdated defenses and beliefs that keep them in frustrating holding patterns.

Together, we can catalyze real and lasting change.

Let’s find your self-confidence.

We can do both the necessary uncovering work and building practical skills in self-regulation and stress-reduction. As the stress goes down, you become clearer about the messages in your emotions and more self-confidence emerges.

With confidence comes the ability to let go of the beliefs, activities and people that are draining the life out of you.

I am not a therapist stereotype.

I do humor, I answer questions – I don’t just smile and nod. You can expect an open and accepting environment with a real person.

No one changes without first being deeply understood, so together we make the space for honesty, curiosity and self-reflection. This allows for a highly individualized experience to emerge.

You will release the outdated scripts and self-limiting beliefs that are holding you back and replace them with more effective ones. The result is living in alignment with your values and feeling more authentically YOU. I don’t scare easily, and I elicit feedback to ensure you are getting the most out of this important investment in your wellness.

Let’s move you out of survive mode and into thrive mode. Negative experiences and disappointments can be put in the past and the future CAN be brighter. Contact me today at (510) 289-4001 for a free consultation.

About Me

“While we have the gift of life, it seems to me the only tragedy is to allow part of us to die – whether it is our spirit, our creativity, or our glorious uniqueness.” ~ Gilda Radner

I have always loved hearing a life story, whether in cinema, literature or over a cup of coffee.

Much of my family history was obscured by emotional cut-offs, immigration and unresolved trauma, which may account for my drive to seek out meaning through personal narrative. This interest had convinced my younger self that I would one day become a Documentary Film Maker.

Fast forward to today… that didn’t happen, not even close. Instead, life happened, college ended, bills to pay led me first into a major depression, then bouncing between jobs to nowhere, finally into therapy.

Therapy helped me build a stronger psychological foundation by revealing my emotional blind spots and changing limiting beliefs about myself and the world.

Steadier on my feet, I secured my first professional job in the Creative Services side of Marketing. The belly flop of my emerging adulthood behind me, I felt good about making decent money and being in a communications field as I fancied myself a good communicator.

I was interested in crafting ways to connect with an audience through a story, both verbal and visual. Truth be told, my favorite part of the job was being able to help my team with their professional development. Although I was moving up the corporate ladder at a fast clip, something began nagging me from the inside. I couldn’t seem to shake the “there-is-something-(big)-missing feeling.”

After having my first child, my priorities did a 360. I just couldn’t seem to find the meaning and purpose in my work that had been there before. I quickly figured out that it was time to pursue my love of psychological transformation and adult development.

As I embarked on this new path, I realized that my new passion was listening to and bearing witness to the incredible tales of human survival and adaptation.

My new life’s purpose was to accompany the indomitable human spirit on its quest toward authenticity and to help people move beyond the traumatic memory’s and painful past learnings that kept them feeling small.

The process of becoming a therapist has humbled me and brought my compassion into full flourish. Compassion has been my greatest ally as life has continued to toss and turn me into middle age.

The psychological strength I have gained has helped me navigate parenting challenges and process the inevitable losses that come with aging.

Through my ongoing journey into the landscape of my internal life and the 1,000s of hours where I have accompanied others on a similar journey, I have learned that the essential ingredients of a healing environment are the grace of presence, complete acceptance, deep listening, and the invitation to express all aspects of the self.

Dynamic curiosity allows new connections, meaning, and greater awareness to emerge. I’ve learned that life isn’t just about striving to feel better; it’s about getting better at feeling our wholeness, discovering our internal compass and our glorious uniqueness.

Welcome to my practice!