Hi! Thank you for visiting…
A little bit about me… I was born and raised right here in Los Angeles, California. I was born with heart, lung, and digestive issues resulting in an operation on day 1. I’ve encountered many more medical operations, procedures, and treatments due to this, a car accident, strenuous physical activity, and cancer. Every time I was met with a new medical ailment, I embarked on a new journey of exploration of my parts, learning and re-learning, and re-learning, and oh! Did I mention re-learning to surrender my grasp on control.
In my teen years, I was sexually abused by a boy a bit older than me. Looking for relief there were many thoughts of suicide beginning even before the abuse. I wrestled with PTSD from earthquakes and discomfort from growing up in a loving yet chaotic household. I finally found relief from the part of me that wanted to jump out of my skin when I was able to party and get high in my late teens/early twenties. At that point, I got into a relationship with someone I thought I was going to marry. I let him control me all too often. He kept my partying at bay. Nevertheless, I struggled with addiction tendencies for years. I found my self-worth and mustered up the confidence to break it off. Shortly thereafter, I decided to let go of the corporate world and move into teaching yoga. I’ve always loved moving. I ran for much of my childhood and teenage years. But, I found the most healing in yoga when I was just 13 years old. I’ve always been passionate about the function and resilience of our body as I watched mine go through all it’s gone through throughout the years. Every time I’ve come across something healing I’ve had a desire to share it.
I dove deeper and deeper into the teachings of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. All in the while, I would have short moments of powering through sobriety alone. I was ashamed to let anyone in on this as I dealt with imposter syndrome. Inevitably, I fell off the horse many times because I was alone and didn’t have someone to shine the light on what I was blind to.
The day that changed was when I started working with someone and my parts. In the years leading up to even being able to admit to her and myself that I had an issue, we did profound healing around my fear of earthquakes. Slowly, but surely, we said hello to all the parts that wanted to jump out of their skin as life continued on and the world continued turning. In due time, I became sober while I continued to learn to surrender my grasp on control.
Cancer is my most recent lesson in surrendering. I am now cancer-free! Still, I am undergoing treatment. The whole experience of the different chapters of cancer was a daily reminder of surrendering and finding the resilience to love life fully even when I was dealing with so much. I was only able to do this because of my commitment to the work of self-awareness, equanimity toward what I am aware of, and self-compassion toward all my parts.
The grace and resilience that parts work has given me is something I am passionate about sharing with you.
A little bit about my work… I work with both adults and children. Nevertheless, I am passionate about working with adolescents struggling with issues like eating disorders and suicide. I am a level II trained IFS (Internal Family Systems Therapy) practitioner/coach. My specializations are in adolescents, substance use, and eating disorders. My services are trauma-informed and include mindfulness, self-compassion, equanimity, and sometimes yoga.
With a background in yoga teaching, I have discovered the profound benefits yoga and IFS have on individuals like yourself when done together. I have worked with hundreds to guide them toward cultivating positive and compassionate relationships since 2013.
I received training in Internal Family Systems Therapy, specializing in addiction, eating disorders, and adolescents. I am an ERYT YACEP yoga facilitator trained by Liz Arch. I received mindfulness certification from Mindfulness Awareness and Compassion-Based Practices with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach from Sounds True in partnership with the University of California at Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center. And, I hold a bachelor’s degree in psychology with Magna Cum Laude honors.
I received additional specialty youth training from Mindful Schools, and Child and Adolescent Mental Health in an Uncertain Time: Reintegration Strategies for Classroom and Community.
Volunteering has been a very special part of my life at Peace4Kids, and Suicide Prevention Center where I received certification in ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training).
Our sessions will mainly focus on the work of IFS while integrating mindfulness applications and some optional movement.
Additional Training
IFS: Groups
UCLA MARC's MAPS I, II, and III
Yoga Nidra
Den Meditation's 400hr
E-RYT® 200, YACEP®.
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