Services
About My Clients
Life in the Bay Area is challenging and the additional stress associated with being LGBTQ+, a woman, pregnancy, parenting or all of the above can push it over the edge. High levels of stress can interfere with relationships, parenting, work, self-care and health. Therapy can support you in cultivating a sense of well-being and balance in your life as well as help you overcome specific mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, trauma and addictive behaviors.
My Background and Approach
I am a seasoned therapist with extensive experience addressing the mental health, trauma and substance abuse treatment needs of women and LGBTQ+ people. I specialize in PTSD and trauma therapy. Using CBT, mindfulness and neuroscience, I can help you recover from interpersonal traumas such as childhood physical, emotional and sexual abuse as well as witnessing violence, bullying, intimate partner violence, sexual assault and intergenerational and historical traumas. It is truly possible to achieve a greater sense of safety and well-being in your life. I also have a strong background in maternal mental health, infant/early childhood trauma and parent/child relationships. Whether you are facing postpartum depression, navigating a foster-care or adoption process, worried about your baby or child's behavior or contending with experiences unique to being an LGBTQ+ parent, together, we can find a path to more joyful parenting experiences.
My Personal Beliefs and Interests
I believe an important part of being a good therapist is to be conscious of my own cultural perspectives and biases while bringing an awareness and understanding of the cultural orientations of my clients. Among many other things, I am a white, queer, cis-gendered woman familiar with navigating across class boundaries. I am part of larger and smaller Bay Area LGBTQ+ communities, a feminist and a member of a non-traditional LGBTQ+ family structure. I am both personally and professionally familiar with the complexities facing many LGBTQ+ individuals and families, including transgender and gender non-conforming parents and their families. I have worked successfully for decades with clients from highly diverse cultural backgrounds both similar and different to my own. I find inspiration in art, mindfulness, family, community and my work.