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Get to know me:

I’m an licensed marriage and family therapist practicing in Los Angeles. I like to relax and spend time watching reality television, reading fiction novels and spending time with my fiancé and pets.

What does affirmative psychotherapy mean to me?

Affirmative therapy is more than just being “accepting” or discussing issues strictly related to being LGBT+. Being affirmative is creating a space for the client to feel affirmed and validated and not have to worry about hiding aspects of themselves in the therapy room. It also means being knowledgeable about all different parts of the community, so the client never feels like they have to become the educator and expert in the room and can spend more time in the process rather than the content.

What populations do I work with? What is my level of expertise (friendly, knowledgeable, expert) for each of those populations?

• Expert working with the transgender/gender non-conforming/non-binary population
• Expert working with individuals processing a recent HIV diagnosis, have been living with HIV or are long term HIV survivors
• Expert working with individuals with crippling anxiety and depression related to minority stress and trauma
• Knowledgeable working with individuals struggling with addiction
• Knowledgeable working with non-traditional relationships (polyamory, non-monogamy, open, etc.)
• Knowledgeable working with not as widely recognized sexual identities (pansexual, asexual, etc.)

What is my approach to healing?

Every client is different, and I find that having an open mind about the process my client needs to heal seems to be the best course of action. While I am very post-modern in my therapeutic approach I do find that I utilize aspects of all different types of theoretical orientations when the time is right. However, the one thing that remains true for all clients is my unconditional positive regard and lack of judgment in the room because the safety to feel vulnerable is key to healing.

What issues am I most skilled at addressing as a mental health professional?

I see a lot of clients coming into therapy to work on anxiety, depression and post-traumatic related symptoms that are brought on by the social, cultural, and societal norms that are forced upon LGBT+ individuals. As a mental health professional, I believe that I have become skilled in working with my clients to address these norms head on and recognize why fitting outside of the norm helps to empower them, build resilience and make them stronger as an individual.

EDUCATION & LICENSES

Education: Master of Arts, Clinical Psychology
Years in Practice: 2
School: Antioch University Los Angeles
Year Graduated: 2018
Training Experience: LGBT Affirmative Psychology

OFFICE INFORMATION

Accessibility: Elevator, Ramps
Gender Neutral Restrooms: No

FINANCES

Fee Range: $50-100
Accepted Payment Methods: Cash, Check, Paypal, Venmo
Accepted Insurance Plans: N/A