I am a first-generation Mexican American. I was born in the United States and my parents are from Jalisco, Mexico. My mother came to the United States with my grandfather and the Bracero program. My father went through his own immigration journey in his early adolescence and both met here in the states. I am the middle child of three and was raised in Wilmington, CA.  Growing up bicultural, we faced and overcame financial, language, and family challenges; school and learning became my safe place. I was destined to go to college and became the first college graduate with both undergraduate and graduate degrees in my family.

As women, we hold a sacred place in this world and our first relationships with our primary caregivers shaped the way we perceive the world around us. In this ever-evolving and fast-paced world, we can lose sight of our goals and our spirit. Whether it is with our relationship with ourselves or our relationships with our family, friends, and romantic relationships, we may find repeating patterns that we would like to change.

I am EMDR certified and an EMDR Consultant-In-Training. I work with patients on healing past events that have been traumatic, whether big or small. As life evolves, our experience of the world changes, and I can copilot through your journey. This journey is your space and opportunity to open buried chapters, create new paths, and identify roadblocks that inhibit your growth. My goal for you is to find compassion for your past, presence in your current life, and hope for your future.

I am a member of CAMFT, the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, and a member of the EMDRIA association.

For the past 5 and ½ years, I have specialized in Addiction Disorders. I work primarily with patients who are actively searching for support in recovering from substance abuse and dependency.  In addition to working with patients affected by addiction, I work with family members affected by Addiction, such as parents and significant others. In the treatment of addiction, issues beyond chemicals come up, such as behavior addictions (working, gambling, gaming, eating, relationships, sex, pornography, and shopping). I can help support and guide you if you are interested in this specialty area.

Ofrezco servicios en espanol.

I’m a first-generation Salvadoreña who is passionate about mental health in our community. My clinical lens is unique because I’m aware of all the multifaceted layers that exist in every individual. My goal is to help my clients work on the relationships they have with others, with food, and with themselves.

I specialize in working with people who are experiencing depression, anxiety, and adjustment difficulties in any phase of life. This includes transitions like adolescence, adulthood, parenting or adapting a new lifestyle. My approach is trauma-informed but I want to help you get back to feeling yourself in the here and the now. Identifying those coping skills that you’ve had for years that help and those that don’t. I have the training and you have the insight into yourself, we’re a team!

I have experience working with the 0–5-year-old population which gives me a unique perspective with helping mothers during the post-partum period, which we now know can last years. My focus is to help you regulate, heal your child’s wounds, and strengthen your attachment with your little ones. We can try all the latest parenting techniques but if we do not understand our inner child, culture, and our child’s temperament, we will find ourselves frustrated and defeated. Let’s do some healing work to help you discover what works best in your relationship with your child and how “self-care” really works when you can’t seem to find time.

I also specialize in helping you heal your relationship with your body and food. People with a history of using fad diets, plastic surgery, or bariatric surgery have a unique relationship with their bodies and food. This relationship is often neglected but creates a barrier as we try to reach our healthiest selves. These are the roots of the relationship with your body and food that diets do not get to.  How do you instinctually feel when you see the size of your body? What kinds of feelings do you experience when you must make food-related decisions or after you’ve eaten?  My goal is to join you in breaking the cycle and help you gain insights into your own behaviors.

My therapeutic approach is compassionate and client-centered. I bring in techniques from different theoretical frameworks and evidence-based approaches to see if they work for you. Together we can create a plan and treatment that fits your personality, goals, and preferences.

I want to join your journey towards self-discovery. I’m a firm believer that you know your patterns and behaviors well, you’re the expert in your life, which means you lead our sessions. My job is to join you with objectivity and gently explore what works for you. I commend your readiness for change. Take a deep breath and reach out for a 15-minute free chat to see if we’re a good match.