As a therapist, I believe whole-heartedly in the power of storytelling.
Therapeutic Approach
I want to dispel the myth that therapy is where you talk and I absent-mindedly jot down notes. Therapy is a partnership. Using Internal Family Systems (IFS), we will explore different “parts” of you with curiosity and compassion. Together, we can heal the pain that holds you back from living a freer, more meaningful life.
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I tailor our therapy to your needs. Drawing from IFS, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), we’ll explore the parts of you that protect and carry pain, shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, and find balance in life’s challenges. Together, we’ll explore what feels most supportive for you. My approach is compassionate, HAES® aligned, and affirming of LGBTQIA+ identities.
My Education
In previous chapters of my life, I earned my B.A. in psychology with honors from Stanford University, where my interest in the human experience began to deepen. That path eventually led me to Boston University's School of Medicine, where I completed my M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine—an integrative program that bridges mental and physical health.
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Most importantly—my learning is not over. I am constantly looking for new ways to grow and I invite collaboration at every turn.
Research
As a proud Mexican-American immigrant, I am passionate about the application of intersectionality to the mental healthcare profession—this is the focus of my research.
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In collaboration with the War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC) at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto, I completed my undergraduate thesis in the spring of 2023. Under mentorship by Dr. Peter Bayley, I presented "Breathing-Based Meditation for Dissociative PTSD in Military Veterans."
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As a fellow at the Moore Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (MURAP) at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, I completed an independent research project in the summer of 2022. I presented "American Vergüenza: The Spanish Language's Impact on Shame and Stigma in Bilingual Latines" at the 28th annual MURAP conference in July 2022 and at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) annual convention in February 2023.
