We all have a story.
My journey into the world of healing began with a moment of complete and utter shock.
I was just 14 years old when I nearly lost my life in a car accident that shattered the normalcy of my teenage years. The aftermath was surreal—time seemed to stand still, and yet everything around me felt like chaos enveloped in an eerie silence as my family and I struggled to process the trauma of what had just occurred. After several days in the hospital, I was sent back home, expected to resume life as usual—school, homework, swim practice, dance classes. No one considered the possibility that nearly dying could lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Unbeknownst to me, I had begun a journey of surviving through life with undiagnosed PTSD—a diagnosis that wouldn’t come until 13 years later.
Living with undiagnosed PTSD, I unconsciously developed coping mechanisms that helped me survive emotionally but were ultimately harmful. Just four days after returning home from the hospital, I began pulling out my hair—a disorder known as Trichotillomania. As the severity of my hair-pulling increased, I was left nearly bald, creating a deep sense of shame and confusion that clouded my mental health. The combination of surviving a shock trauma and living with its unseen effects then led to a downward spiral of risky behaviors—acting out, sneaking out, shoplifting, you name it, I did it—each an attempt to numb my pain and manage the overwhelming emotions I couldn’t yet understand.
Things often get worse before they get better.
Within a year of the accident, my life had unraveled to the point that I was sent away to a boarding school for troubled teens in Kanab, Utah (it has since closed, like many others, due to rampant abuse). This experience further deepened my shame-based beliefs and introduced a new layer of trauma into my life. After a year in the program, I returned home to yet another shock—my parents announced their divorce. It was a devastating blow I never saw coming. My parents, both immigrants from South America, had sacrificed so much to create a life in the U.S. together. Their divorce was contentious and messy, leaving me with such severe anxiety and depression that I was unable to function.
At 17, failing all my high school classes, I made the decision to drop out of school. But in the midst of the chaos, I found something I was good at—working as a writer and website designer for a tech startup. After so many years of struggle, it felt incredible to excel at something. This newfound confidence led me to move to New York City at 19, where I navigated life on my own, making every mistake a young, traumatized girl could make in a big city. But through those experiences, I learned valuable lessons about who I was and who I wasn’t.
After five years of living the New York hustle, working across various industries, and gaining a deep understanding of myself, I realized I wanted a career that would make a difference in the world—and I wanted to heal.
Fast forward to today—
I hold a Bachelor's in Psychology from UCLA and a Master's in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University, Los Angeles. My post-master’s training in Somatic Experiencing® provides me with a powerful, body-oriented approach to working with trauma, an approach that has also transformed my own life and nervous system. I’m also an intuitive touch and Reiki practitioner, a certified yoga instructor, and a trauma-informed psychedelic coach. These diverse modalities show up in the way I work with clients and allow me to offer a holistic, integrative approach that honors the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit.
I come to this work with a deep desire to support women—particularly those in their 20s and those who have experienced trauma—to live freely and expansively, with confidence and a profound sense of safety. I know from personal experience that overwhelming relational experiences and trauma can get in the way of living fully— AND I also know that therapy works and healing is possible.
My approach is informed by both my personal journey and my formal education and training. My own healing has been profoundly shaped by somatic (body-oriented) therapies, sacred Indigenous medicines (psychedelics), a nurturing support system (tribe), and mindfulness practices like yoga, breathwork, and meditation. These modalities have helped me heal deep wounds, reconnect with my needs, feelings, and desires, regulate my nervous system, foster healthy connections, and restore self-trust. Through this journey, I’ve cultivated a deep, embodied presence—a presence I now share with my clients.
Today, my private practice is based in Pasadena, California and I offer virtual therapy to anyone residing in California. When I’m not spending time in the office with the incredible humans I get to support, you can find me enjoying the outdoors (preferably in the sun), moving my body in some way (dancing, hiking, yoga), cooking, plant shopping, playing with my two cats, or planning my next adventurous trip with my loving partner, Ben.
Ready to STOP surviving + START living?
SOMATIC THERAPY • TRAUMA THERAPY • THERAPY FOR 20’s GIRLIES • PSYCHEDELIC INTEGRATION
