Hello and welcome to my blog!
I am very excited to begin sharing with you what I hope will be inspiring, educational, comforting and thought-provoking posts. In this blog, as in my work as a therapist, we will explore topics related to psychology, therapy, growth and transformation, self-care, and a bit of philosophy and spirituality.
Please let me begin by telling you a little about myself and what has brought me to become a licensed MFT (Marriage and Family Therapist). As far back as I can remember, I have always been an observer. As a young child, I loved spending hours in our rustic backyard in Pacifica, watching how spiders caught insects in their webs, tending to injured birds and watching how the plants grew. I also remember being very curious about other people and why they behaved as they did. As I grew older, I become acutely aware of my own inner life, which ultimately flourished into a deep yearning to know Truth and to know myself.
When I was 20 years old, my life took a drastic turn when my twin brothers who were 16 years old at the time, died together in a car accident. As grief can do, it turned my entire world upside down. My outlook on life and the way I lived took a complete U turn and I knew it was time to begin getting professional help to deal with the remnants of my broken childhood, as well as getting some serious grief support. It was at this point that I entered into Psychoanalysis with a Psychoanalyst in San Francisco who was also a respected Zen teacher. I also began meditating and attending talks at a Zen Center in Santa Cruz. This combination of intense introspection tempered with a deepening mindfulness and awareness practice led me onto an entirely different path in life and awakened my life’s calling to become a psychotherapist. I learned first hand just how valuable, transformative and necessary psychotherapy can be. After 13 years in psychoanalysis and two years practicing at the meditation center, I had found direction in my life and freedom from my past limitations. During this time, I obtained my bachelors’ degree in Psychology from San Francisco State University and then went on to complete my Masters in Counseling Psychology from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto (more on transpersonal psychology in an upcoming blog post!). Since then, I have trained in a variety of settings, including doing behavioral therapy with families who have special needs children, interning as a children, teen, family and school counselor with Fremont Youth and Family services, and as a bereavement therapist at Pathways in Sunnyvale.
My role as a therapist is not just my career, it is a big part of who I am. I greatly enjoy getting to know people on a deeper level and I believe I was born with a few extra heart strings than what is probably healthy (hello friends of animals and the environment!). This life-long pursuit for Truth, inner peace and the alleviation of suffering, is what has led me to my role as a therapist. So, enough about me because as you know, in therapy it’s all about you! I believe our paths are intertwined and I hope to offer you some support, insight and comfort as we walk the path together. Sometimes we need someone to hold up the light as we walk through a period of darkness.
Are you ready to step into your fullest potential, release what is blocking you from deeper self-acceptance and love, and ultimately live life with more ease, contentment and peace? If so, stay tuned and we will explore ways to help you do just that. If you are ready to take the step towards beginning therapy, please contact me and I am happy to offer a free 15 minute consultation to address any questions you may have about the counseling process or to book your first session.
Next blog post: Grief and Loss