About 


The Beginning

I am a licensed clinical social worker associate (WA #SC61473876) who has worked with adults for over 14 years. I started off as a lifeguard and swim instructor. I found creative, fun, non-judgmental ways to teach adults how to face their fears and improve their skills in a safe environment.


I worked in an adult probation department and an adult prison. I helped people who felt powerless and felt a lack of control in their environments. I helped people build a sustainable path forward, create meaning in their lives, and cultivate joy.


I expanded my life by completing a PhD, where I studied social justice theory and applied this theory to social work education in criminal legal settings. As John Rawls says, "justice is fairness". I taught master's-level social work students in mental health, research, and policy courses who were entering their second careers. I taught people from all disciplines, including lawyers, math teachers, historians, and artists. I applied interactive approaches to facilitate learning, including guest speakers, simulations, and group activities.

Clinical Experiences


I worked at a mental health agency, where I helped clients overcome issues such as anxiety and OCD, depression and other mood disorders, trauma and PTSD, eating disorders, ADHD and Autism, and LGBTQ+ identities. My favorite activities included values identification, boundary-setting, and mindfulness.



I have an analytical mindset, where I use my expertise in research to help clients achieve their goals quickly. By utilizing evidence-based practices, most clients who successfully apply skills inside and outside my office have reduced session frequency from weekly to bi-weekly after their first treatment plan review, and I have "graduated" clients in as few as five sessions.


Currently, I am under the supervision of Heather Ramirez, LICSW, Registered Play Therapist (RPT), CMHS and Rachel Piano-Pooley, LCSW, Brainspotting Consultant.


Resume


Curriculum Vitae (CV)

About Me


My top values include:

  • Curiosity: I believe that knowledge acquisition and learning new skills can lead to breakthroughs in our personal and professional lives. 
  • Authenticity: I believe that genuineness, care, vulnerability, and openness help people feel less alone and more connected. 
  • Respect: I believe that honoring others' strengths, differences, and uniqueness are foundational for successful personal and professional relationships. 
  • Integrity: I believe in instilling trustworthiness, faithfulness, and loyalty when acting morally and ethically. 
  • Intuition: I believe people are the experts of their own lives, and I trust that people make the best decisions, given the information and resources we have at a certain point in time. I believe that we make wise choices to protect ourselves, meet our needs, and grow. 
  • Fairness: I believe that justice comes from impartial fairness. 
  • Family: I believe that loyalty and faithfulness, meaningful connections, and engagement in fulfilling activities complete a healthy life. 
  • Balance: I believe in equal prioritization of various aspects of our health, including physical, mental/emotional, social, spiritual, environmental, intellectual, and occupational. 
  • Passion: I believe that engaging in activities that interest us leads to ambition and success. 
  • Peace: I believe that the cornerstone to a fulfilling life is a tranquil, calm presence in one's life.


I am a lifelong learner. I played trumpet for 11 years, and I was a competitive swimmer for nearly 8 years. In club swimming, I swam the 1650 freestyle, 400 IM, and 200 breaststroke. In high school swimming, I swam the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke. In high school, I taught myself how to play trombone and read bass clef. Additionally, as an adult, I learned how to snowboard!


In my free time, I enjoy hiking, snowboarding, and cooking and baking with my husband. I am a pet lover and am partial to cats, but I still enjoy dogs and all other animals.


My professional interests started with Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which I learned in 2012. I learned about Brainspotting in 2019 and became trained in Phases 1 and 2 in 2024. I am currently learning about Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and I hope to learn about Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)!