I began my college education studying environmental sociology at the University of California, Berkeley. Soon after, I earned my Master of Arts in Counseling from Chapman University in Southern California. My degree prepared me to serve as both a school counselor and clinical therapist. In the last semester of graduate school, I worked as a full-time elementary school counselor. I feel excited to use my background in school counseling as a tool to empower families and children to feel their best and advocate for their needs at home and at school.

After spending the first twenty years of my life battling various forms and symptoms of anxiety, my family and I felt defeated, uncertain, and wondering where to turn. I am the capable and healthy person that I am today because I found therapy. I chose to study counseling so that I could help children and families feel understood, validated, and safe as they navigate their mental health and wellness journeys.

Neuroscience tells us that play is therapeutic for children because it allows the thinking parts of their brains (left hemisphere) to connect with the feeling and creative parts (right hemisphere). This integration of the mind allows them to express deeply felt emotions and needs they may not even realize they had. In a safe and therapeutic play space, children working with a play therapist will have the freedom to find healing, growth, and connection with self and others.

As a clinician training to earn my play therapist certification, I incorporate several play-based modalities into my practice. This includes Sand Tray therapy, child-centered (non-directive) play therapy, and attachment-based play therapy. I help young children, early teens, and parents navigate the impacts of trauma, low self-esteem/social anxiety, anxiety, depression, and other struggles in the safe, nonjudgmental, and nurturing environment of my playroom.