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Pronouns: She/Her

The Road to Social Work: The Doing

Social work is my calling and my passion, born from a personal tragedy and supported by years of engaging in my own healing journey. I completed my Masters of Social Work (MSW) at San Diego State University with emphases in direct practice, health, and gerontology. Prior to entering the world of social work, I worked for six years in psychological, pharmacological, and nonprofit and philanthropy research. As a research associate, I collaborated with teams conducting studies focused on the development of emotion regulation in toddlerhood, medication treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and biomarkers of Hoarding Disorder. I have engaged in program development, program evaluation, and city and state-wide needs assessment, with the U.S Navy, City of San Diego, San Diego Food Bank, 2-1-1 San Diego, and CalNonprofits.

During my first graduate internship, I had the privilege of working with survivors of domestic and sexual assault at Center for Community Solutions, where I became familiar with the safety, interpersonal, economic, and cultural variables that often are barriers to survivors seeking community resources. I honor a survivor’s knowing of when and how to access counseling, and I welcome survivors into my practice.

For my second practicum, I was again extremely fortunate, this time working with cancer patients and their families to provide individual, family, and group therapy at the Sharp Memorial Hospital Laurel Amtower Cancer Institute and Neuro-Oncology Center (Cancer Center). Fascinated by the intersection of physical and emotional health and inspired by the resiliency of the human spirit, I decided to remain in the field of medical social work, working both at the Cancer Center and at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women and Newborns (Mary Birch) for several additional years. At Mary Birch, I counseled patients with gynecological cancers, women with high-risk pregnancies, postpartum women with mental illness and other psychosocial concerns, parents of medically fragile newborns in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and families experiencing pregnancy loss and neonatal death.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and have advanced training in perinatal mental health, oncology, and complicated grief. I practice holistic psychotherapy and utilize acceptance and commitment, person-centered, solution-focused, and mindfulness-based therapy modalities. I truly love building supportive relationships with my clients and watching them heal and grow through some of life’s greatest challenges. Please reach out to discuss if I may be the right therapist for you.