I’m so glad you’re here. I imagine it wasn’t easy to take that first step — to consider asking for support, particularly in a world where many isms, biases, and stigma exist. This is a sign of strength and desire for growth, and I’d be honored to work with you on this path before you.
I believe that growth and change can best be achieved within a nurturing, accepting, and respectfully challenging environment. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I offer a Person-Centered approach to building a therapeutic relationship with you. What that means is a relationship built on authenticity and providing you with the empathy, nonjudgement, and unconditional positive regard that enables you to achieve the change and goals you desire. Through this relationship, we can explore your thoughts, feelings, and unmet needs, as well as what may be getting in the way of you living the life you want.
Taking a Dialectical approach, I can teach you skills, such as mindfulness to support living in the present moment with non judgemental self-awareness, dialectics to foster flexible thinking, distress tolerance, emotion regulation to cope with distressing emotions and situations, and interpersonal effectiveness to build self-respect and meaningful relationships.
I can also provide a Cognitive-Behavioral approach to support you in understanding the connection between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and how to support you in attempting to change the way you think, feel, and behave.
I will also provide trauma-informed care by recognizing the signs, symptoms, and impact of trauma, and by providing you with a safe and empowering space to move toward healing — at your choice and pace — to prevent re-traumatization.
In my life and work, I also strive to create a welcoming and inclusive space for all folks and invite meaningful conversations about the intersectionality of one’s experience in our work together.
Specialties
I specialize in using the therapeutic relationship and evidence-based practices to provide strength-based therapy to transitional age youth (ages 15-25), their families, and am passionate about working with the LGBTQIA+ community. Prior to joining Nugent Family Counseling Center, I worked in an intensive, non-profit, community-based setting for four years, where I was fortunate to be a part of the journey of at-risk transitional age youth in crisis. I’ve worked with clients in foster care and the juvenile justice system, as well as those who have experienced multiple hospitalizations, to help them evolve from a state of trauma and crisis to emotional stability, self-exploration, self-acceptance, independence, and belonging. I also have experience working with elementary and high school students in school-based settings, as well as adults, the elderly, couples, and families.
Education & Training
I received my Masters in Counseling Psychology with a dual emphasis on marriage and family counseling and professional clinical counseling from John F. Kennedy University in 2017. I’m trained in the following evidence-based practices: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Seeking Safety, and Motivational Interviewing. I’m also a certified RISE trainer who trains other professionals on how to Recognize, Intervene, Support, and Empower LGBTQIA+ youth in systems of care.
I’m licensed as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #126175 in the state of California.