Before becoming a therapist, I spent years in tech, startups, and the arts. I watched a lot of impressive people — myself included — spend enormous energy making things look effortless. That's part of why I don't mistake polish for peace, and why I'm not rattled by clients who are used to being the capable one.

It's also why most of the people I work with aren't looking for tips to manage a feeling. They want to understand why it's there, so something can actually change.

They arrive at that question from different directions. Some are working through a pattern that keeps repeating — anxiety, low mood, a question in the background about ADHD or autism. Some are couples who can name their fight but haven't been able to change it. Many are LGBTQ+, non-monogamous, or kink-identifying — that's a specialization I've trained in and a core part of my practice, so you won't spend a session explaining who you are or translating your relationships. And some have done everything they were supposed to and still hit a wall that doesn't respond to the usual approaches.

I work best with people who are more interested in changing the pattern than in hearing tips for managing it. We start by tracing where your responses come from, then build new ones that hold up in real life.

I trained at Golden Gate University (MA in Counseling Psychology, Highest Honors), with clinical training at the Pacific Center for Human Growth, Liberation Institute, and the Center for Mindful Psychotherapy. I draw on attachment theory (including the Dynamic Maturational Model), the Power, Threat, Meaning Framework (PTMF), narrative therapy, parts work (IFS), EMDR, and Gottman couples methods — treating them less as fixed protocols and more as starting points to create therapy that fits you.

I see clients in person on Solano Avenue in Albany and online across California. If I'm not the right fit, I'll happily connect you with a trusted colleague.