About Me...
I'm so glad you are here! I'm an active, friendly, outdoorsy, Spanish-speaking, Christian wife, and boy-mom of 2. I am a Texas Longhorn (Hook'em!) and a seminary graduate. I have lived in Texas, Spain, El Salvador, and California.
I've been practicing as a therapist for 15 years, but I have 22 years of experience working with youth and families in various settings (coaching, teaching, leadership development, summer camps, youth ministry, and missionary work). I'm passionate about helping those who are struggling with anxiety find peace, with a special emphasis on: trauma healing, perfectionism, body-image, and learning not to care so much about what other people think.
I'm an "Intuitive Eater" with 15 years of Eating Disorder recovery under my belt, I reject the diet mentality. With so many women struggling with disordered eating patterns, it is my deepest desire and passion to help women make peace with their body as well as have a more intuitive/balanced relationship with eating, knowing hunger and fullness cues, and staying fit.
My heart bends toward partners who have been betrayed In their marriages and relationships. I feel a special calling to help people walk through this season of grief and healing, and finding life on the other side whether they stay In the relationship or not.
I confidently work with and integrate spiritual issues if desired by the client to work through issues of faith, anger, forgiveness, reconciliation, etc. Whether religion has brought pain or been a positive resource, we can talk about it.
I'm praying that you learn the peaceful truth that you are ENOUGH. I believe that therapy will cultivate positive change in your life and promote healing. Let's go!
CREDENTIALS
Texas Licensed MFT- License #: 203374
LMFT "Supervisor" license- January of 2019.
Previously resided/ Licensed as a California Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)- License # 81073
Started my private practice in Texas (2014)
University of Tx, Austin: BS Psychology, BA Religious Studies (2007)
Fuller Theological Seminary Graduate School In Pasadena, Ca: Masters- Marriage and Family Therapy (2007)
Post-graduate, I worked at two nonprofit community mental health agencies in Los Angeles:
The Dream Center, Los Angeles
Foothill Family Service, El Monte/ W. Covina
THERAPY CERTIFICATIONS
TFCBT: Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy- story telling/exposure for the purpose of desensitization to past traumatic events and building confidence/ensuring future safety
MAP: Managing and Adaptive Practices - coping skills fit to treat varying diagnoses in children and teens
Seeking Safety: helping individuals find safe coping when dealing with co occurring substance abuse and history of trauma. This is specific also to self harm, disordered eating, fighting, and other risky behaviors
WRAP-AROUND: team work facilitating families in crisis with 24/7 care: therapist, child specialist, and parent partner
Extensive Experience with the Intuitive Eating Model, and have years of leading group therapy, complicated family systems, and couples work: EFT, restoration model, marital/sex therapy.
I am also trained in psychodynamic, Bowenian, strategic, emotionally-focused, narrative, and CBT theories.