Ph: 949-689-3229
A Little About Me
I was born and raised primarily in the sunny, coastal town of Capistrano Beach, California, but also spent a significant part of my youth living in beautiful McCall, Idaho. Having been raised in two very different worlds, I came to understand the unique challenges that can occur from living in both urban and rural locations. I developed an interest in psychology at the age of seventeen when a close family member was diagnosed with a severe mental illness. After watching what my loved one went through, I felt compelled to help her and others work through difficult life obstacles. Although I was devastated to watch my loved one suffer, I learned the importance of just being there for someone, even if you are unable to fix the problem. I also discovered my passion for learning about human behavior and all of its complexities. The more I learned, the more my desire to help people not just change unhealthy behaviors, but actually thrive, grew. I have since acquired a strong sense of duty to help people overcome and adapt to life-changing events.
Making the Decision to Begin Treatment
I understand making the choice to begin therapy can be very difficult and my goal is help make the decision easier by offering a comfortable, secure space to discuss your troubles from the privacy of your own home using Telehealth Services. I believe you are your own expert and I hope to work collaboratively with you to come up with a treatment plan suited to your needs. With this in mind, I encourage you to contact me with any questions you may have related to my treatment approach or my background so that you can feel confident in your decision to begin working with me.
My Professional Background
Academic Background
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Ph.D. and M.A. in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University in San Diego, which is an American Psychological Association (APA) accredited university
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B.A. from California State University, Long Beach, majoring in psychology and journalism
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APA Accredited Predoctoral Internship completed at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Loma Linda Healthcare System
Clinical Background
I have received formal training from the following California agencies:
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VA in Loma Linda treating Veterans suffering from general mental health disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression, etc.), dual diagnoses (e.g., severe mental illness with co-occurring substance use disorders), and PTSD caused by sexual assault, combat, and intimate partner violence
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VA in La Jolla administering psychological test batteries to Veterans for a research study on exposure therapy and hoarding disorder
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North County Lifeline in Vista treating at-risk youth suffering from substance use disorders, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, anger issues, and relationship issues
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Family Justice Center in San Diego treating victims of intimate partner violence often suffering from PTSD
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California School of Professional Psychology in San Diego administering psychological test batteries and writing psychological assessment reports for low-income adults
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San Clemente Psychological Services (private practice) treating adolescents and adults with anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, OCD, PTSD, stressor-related disorders, and conversion disorder
I have received formal training using the following treatment modalities:
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Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
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Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
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Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
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Exposure and response prevention (ERP) for OCD
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Cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for PTSD
Research Background
My research interests have included studying the effects of children’s television on girls’ body image, issues involving law and ethics related to clinical practice, schizophrenia and expressed emotion, hoarding disorder, and social contract theory
"The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind."
William James
