I believe that therapy can primarily be a place for learning more about who we are, and that healing can happen along the way. Growth comes from understanding more about ourselves and learning from our experiences so that we are able to expand on the choices available for us. My hope is that as we reflect on your stories through exploring the values most important to you, we are also able to remind you of your ability to live a life that connects you with the people, relationships, and communities that bring you joy.

 

I also believe that therapists and clients can be agents of social change in our communities. My lived experiences as a queer Filipino immigrant helps me as a therapist understand how important my clients’ multiple intersecting identities are, and how it can inform your experiences and influence your mental health. To that end, our work together will include reflecting on how your social identities and larger systemic forces influence and inform the way you view yourself, your experiences, and your relationships. 

 

My therapeutic approach is from a postmodern perspective that prioritizes partnering and collaborating with my clients by centering your voice, your strengths, and your power in our conversations. I truly believe that my clients are the experts in their own lives. Through Narrative Therapy, Solutions-Focused Brief Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and the Recovery Model, I strive to invite your expertise into our conversations so we can reflect on your telling of a story that highlights your strengths, skills, and emphasizes the people that have supported you along the way. Our work together will focus on gaining a richer understanding of who you are so we can collaborate and explore what small steps and actions you can make towards living a life that brings you closer to where you want to be.

 

I enjoy working with folks who are experiencing life transitions, exploring identities and their cultural backgrounds, wanting a better sense of who they are, those looking to cultivate the motivation to implement the changes they want to make, and those navigating a mental health condition and/or substance use. I also enjoy supporting individuals, couples, and partners interested in exploring polyamory, sexuality, and their kinks -those interested in challenging their normative beliefs about who they are and who they can possibly be. I have been in the mental health field for over a decade, occupying various roles in different settings that have helped me partner with people from multiple walks of life. My experiences working at a county psychiatric hospital helped me understand the challenges people might face when managing chronic mental health conditions and navigating their relationship with substances. I also worked at an outpatient children and adolescent clinic which emphasized for me the importance of cultivating our connection and rapport first in order to do our best therapeutic work together. 

 

Outside of therapy, I love to do things that get me to experience nature and expand my own comfort zone. I enjoy rock climbing, backpacking, hiking, and gardening. I try to bring the outdoors inside with me through my collection of about 50 houseplants and succulents. I also equally appreciate being cozy indoors, and enjoy board games and movies with friends. I’m also an avid nerd and geek, and I love bringing a lot of analogies and metaphors from video games, anime, movies, cartoons, and comics into the therapy room.