First and foremost, I am a fellow human being who comes to you with my own life experiences—full of diverse and colorful encounters with the external world, my internal, inner being, and the boundary-zone where these two phenomenological worlds meet.
I am also a licensed psychotherapist (LPC) with the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists. As a therapist, I help individuals pursue and manifest health, balance, love, purpose and ease. I willingly bring my heart, insight, tenacity and presence to this journey toward wholeness.
I have a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Naropa University, and have trained in Gestalt Therapy, Body-oriented psychotherapy, Transpersonal Psychology, Contemplative (Buddhist) Psychology, and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. I also have specific experience and training in working with adolescents and young adults, LGBTQI (Queer folk), and people who find themselves in the midst of major life transitions, including death/loss, and grieving.
I have 15+ years of experience as a counselor working with individuals of various ages and multicultural backgrounds; and have worked professionally in a variety of mental health settings: community mental health agencies, schools/universities, private agencies, and non-profit social service agencies. I celebrate and embrace diversity in both my personal and professional life. I love the work that I do, and feel honored to engage people so intimately, deeply, and growth-fully.
I have been studying and practicing various forms of Yoga (Ashtanga, Iyengar, Shamatha) and Buddhist meditation (Zen, Shambhala, Vipassana) for the past 12 years. Meditation and Yoga have greatly influenced and informed my professional and personal path; and along with psychotherapy, I consider these practices to be foundational for the work I do with clients. My intimate understanding and experience of the interface between eastern practices and western psychology inform and color my therapeutic methods.
In my spare time, I enjoy being outside with my hands in the garden dirt, hiking in the woods, or biking around our beautiful city. I am an advocate and activist for peace and social justice issues. I also maintain a healthy appetite for consuming large amounts of delicious, homemade food.