Therapists in Outer Mission, San Francisco, CA

My experience is working with diverse populations including Latina/o/x, Chicana/o/x, Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. I have supported people with various issues including, with anxiety, depression, caregiver stress, relational issues, social/racial identity, dealing with health conditions, struggling with sleep, the elderly, peripartum and postpartum parents, healthcare workers experiencing burnout. I am passionate about helping individuals transition from thriving to surviving.

As a licensed marriage and family therapist, I believe we must take into account one’s mental health, physical health, culture, community, family, and recreation, and how this affects quality of life and the ability to live life to its fullest potential. I am committed to collaborating with you and respecting your concerns and goals as we work together to improve your mental well-being. A focus or passion of mine has been how our thoughts or cognitions affect our motivations, actions, and how we feel on a daily basis.

I believe in walking with individuals through their life experiences in a non-judgmental manner. I believe people are not a product of life circumstances; therefore, they do not need to live in a self-punishing manner. I believe individuals can process past traumas and issues resulting in a more fulfilling life. Gaining personal insight and personal growth is a strength that will manifest and multiply in relationships. Working with people is my passion, and I believe your past does not define your future.

I take a person-centered therapy approach. Based off my client's needs, I aid them with developing a treatment plan, and start off with education on their diagnosis and the associated symptoms, aiding them with developing insight and decreasing any possible stigmas regarding mental health. I enjoy using mindfulness and meditation while I teach immediate coping skills to improve emotional regulation. I am passionate about my work and educating individuals in order to reduce mental health stigma. I strongly believe in empowering others to reach their goals in treatment in order to be their best possible self.

I specialize in supporting adults, older teens, and couples facing difficult life transitions, relationship issues, intergenerational/ historical traumas, grief/loss, depression and anxiety. I provide support from a multicultural lens, taking into account physical, mental, spiritual, emotional wounds. My work is deeply rooted in empowering and supporting individuals on their journey of healing. I sit alongside them as they mend emotional/behavioral wounds and uncover inner strengths, insight and increase awareness about themselves.

In helping people, I lean toward a strengths-based, attachment, and systems approach. I strongly believe that a significant change in one person can impact the entire system. I also believe that a holistic, mindfulness and cognitive approach coupled with behavioral changes is effective for many clients. Additionally, I interweave my trauma-informed background to support clients through their presenting concerns. It's my strong belief, however that each individual is a unique being. I thoroughly enjoy partnering with my clients throughout the therapeutic process while addressing their objectives for therapy.

Many of us have traumatic experiences growing up that still impact our relationships as adults, typically without us even knowing it. One of the ways this manifests itself is codependent relationships, sometimes to the degree that people completely lose themselves or don't know who they are on their own. It is not uncommon for someone who struggles with codependency to turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with their pain, which can then becomes problematic as well. I am a strong believer in 12 Step recovery, and supporting individuals in finding support outside themselves in community meetings.

Throughout my 10 year career, I have worked in a variety of settings from high-acuity community mental health and case management to dual diagnosis treatment centers. In this work, I connect with clients to unlock their internal strengths and voice, utilizing music, art and body movement. Believing knowledge is power, I educate clients on the impact of trauma on the nervous system and help them understand how their bodies have learned how to cope and survive through painful experiences.

It's okay to be enraged - about unjust treatment both individually and on a societal level (racism, structural racism, sexism, all the isms). It's okay to be deeply sad. It's okay to be anxious. All the feelings are there for a reason, and sometimes there isn't any particular reason you can identify. It's okay to judge yourself, it's okay to be "negative." We will learn to feel the feelings and think the thoughts, while choosing what you want to do next, based on what's important to you. I have expertise in anxiety, phobias, depression, PTSD, infertility, and perinatal distress.

As a first-generation born Filipino and raised by parents that immigrated to America from the Philippines, I developed a culturally sensitive lens, and have treated clients from various backgrounds. I am passionate about providing therapy that is inclusive to many different ethnicities, view myself as an ally for the LGBTQIA+ community, and value social justice for BIPOC clients. I sought licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist to help those afflicted with addiction, mental illness, and traumatic brain injury.

I believe all people should have the opportunity to reach their full potential, contribute to society, and have a voice. I have worked in a spectrum of services including inpatient/outpatient behavioral health services at St. Joseph Hospital, at-risk youth programs, worker compensation system, and longer-term outpatient treatment settings as well as private practice.

I have dedicated my professional life to helping individuals heal from the effects of trauma and improve their overall well-being. My approach is informed by trauma research and is centered on a trauma-informed perspective, which recognizes the far-reaching impact that early life experiences can have on one's emotions, behaviors, and relationships. I believe that the therapeutic relationship is key to successful therapy, and I strive to foster a warm, compassionate, and non-judgmental space where my clients can explore their emotions, develop self-awareness, and form more fulfilling relationships with themselves and others.

I have experience working with populations of all ages and cultural backgrounds. Throughout my career, I developed the fundamental belief that given the right guidance, support, and environment, individuals can thrive, grow, and evolve. I believe that everyone can reach their fullest potential with a supportive environment, unconditional regard, structure, and guidance.

I seek to be of service to you as you explore therapy as a path to heal and thrive. Taking this step to engage in therapy can feel like a daunting task and I am here to take that step with you. Throughout my practice I have focused on the importance of identifying all aspects of my clients’ lives that impact their well-being (support systems, cultural, work/ school environment, physical health, life experience, faith/spirituality) to provide treatment through a holistic person-in- environment perspective. I offer myself as a partner to support you on your life journey through building connection, bonding and trust.

I have extensive experience addressing trauma in women who have been victims of domestic violence. My approach is mostly Psychodynamic with Cognitive Restructuring to help these victims process their past trauma and gain insight into establishing healthy boundaries. This approach has helped many clients gain self-confidence and self-empowerment to continue in life not as a victim but as a survivor of trauma. Clients have been able to learn skills that help them better manage their symptoms and gain a sense of control and self in their lives moving forward.

I have been fortunate enough to work with people of all ages, and it has taught me that when given the opportunity, each person is able to step into the best version of themselves even when their circumstances are difficult. At the core of our being, we all long to be connected, whether that is with others in relationships or with ourselves. My experience has allowed me to work predominantly with adults who have experienced depression, self-harm, anxiety, postpartum depression, relationship issues, work/life balance, adjustment disorders, and trauma (including various forms of abuse and violence).

I am the type of therapist that is always curious and open to helping my clients come up with unique solutions to life's setbacks. Life is very challenging and finding the right therapist should be seamless. If you're interested in finding a holistic approach to seek harmony in mind, body and wellness, this is the first step of awareness for the work to begin.

I use an eclectic approach from evidence-based techniques to support you compassionately and authentically. I support individuals to engage with life from a more centered, integrated, and fulfilled place. It can be uncomfortable, confusing, and overwhelming to look at many complex parts of ourselves alone. Unexamined, these parts can show up in our lives in different forms such as addictions, anxiety, depression, lack of self-esteem, codependency, stress, and dissatisfaction.

My approach as a therapist is simple, I meet my clients where they are so we can reach their goals collaboratively. As a therapist, I work for my clients and understand that we are all different and that what works for some won't work for others. My job is to help people achieve the change/goals/ etc that they want to achieve. To accomplish that I work collaboratively with my clients to understand their goals, what contributes to their situation, and what skills/changes we need to create/uncover to create the changes they are looking for.