More About Me
How I got here
I come to this field by way of an inherent and endless curiosity about people and the environments with which we interact. My curiosity led me to study cultural anthropology during my undergrad in which I learned to explore the experience of living in someone else’s shoes while never forgetting how my own lens impacts my understanding of another. After years working in the education non-profit sector, I realized, in my own therapy, that my heart was yearning to go deeper and my body to move slower. I followed these heart-centered-yearings California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) where I earned a Masters in Counseling Psychology with a focus on integrative counseling.
Work
Currently, part of my work life is dedicated to depth oriented and gestalt therapy (described here), and the other part I spend working for a mental health crisis stabilization center in Oakland, where I facilitate groups. I truly love the balance of long and short term, in person and virtual, and individual and group work. I love therapy that is “un-therapy- like,” like using art and laughter as therapy. There are many different ways to heal.
Identities
Some identities I hold are cis-female, white, queer, culturally Jewish, only-child, short, & neurotypical. As someone born and raised in Massachusetts who transplanted to the Bay Area, I can also relate to the distinct cultures of each coast. I recognize that these identities have shaped who I am today, and I’m aware of the aspects of myself that have privilege and the ones that don’t. I’m interested in learning about your identities, and where we overlap and diverge, so I can help you explore the nuances of how your unique identities shape how you interact with the world.
Therapeutic Approach
As a therapist, I am warm, authentic, and deeply curious. The approach I take is collaborative and I take an active role in our dialogue. Informed mostly by Gestalt Therapy, I often use “parts” language to describe the complexity of our psyches. What this means is that together we will build awareness of the many parts of you, including parts that may be in conflict and make you feel stuck. I believe we are at our healthiest when all of our parts can have a voice. In therapy with me, I invite you to notice and become familiar with all parts of you.