I’m a trained generalist, which means people often seek me out when they need help navigating anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, and major life transitions.

While my website highlights certain areas of advanced knowledge, I work with clients from all walks of life and with a wide range of concerns. I welcome anyone who’s come across this page (yes, that means you!) to reach out for a free consultation and explore if we may be a good fit to work together.

Areas of Advanced Knowledge:

• 📲 Digital Wellness: Assisting individuals and families develop healthier, more intentional relationships with technology and social media. (Note: Digital Wellness services offered through consultation are separate from therapy.)

• 🎨 Creativity: Fostering creativity and helping individuals live more creative lives, drawing from my background in the performing arts and a master's degree in Creativity & Change Leadership.

• 💻 Tech Industry Stressors: Helping people struggling to navigate the unique pressures of working in startups, big tech, or entrepreneurial environments, where stress and burnout are common.

• 🏥 Chronic Health Challenges: Helping clients navigate the emotional and mental impacts associated with chronic health challenges, offering support and co-creating strategies for ongoing challenges.

Services Offered:

• 🗣 Individual Therapy

• ❤️‍🩹 Couples Therapy

• 🏡 Family Therapy

• 💬 Group Therapy

• 👨‍💻 Digital Wellbeing Consultation for teens, parents, families, workplaces, teachers, and school administrators. (Please note: Digital Wellbeing Consultations are educational and consultative in nature and do not constitute therapy or clinical mental health services. These consultations are done in my role as Director of the California Center for Digital Wellbeing, which is distinct and separate from my role as a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist.)

For more details on therapy services, including costs and availability, please visit my Therapy Services page.

For more on Digital Wellbeing Consultation, click here.

I hesitate to say I "specialize" in one specific area because what brings people to therapy is often interconnected with other challenges. As a trained generalist, I’m equipped to help you explore and address a range of issues, such as:

• 😟 Anxiety

• 😔 Depression

• 🌊 Coping with stress and overwhelm

• 💔 Relationship distress

• 🌱 Life transitions

• 🪞 Self-esteem and identity concerns

• 🌹 Grief and loss

• 🏥 Navigating chronic health challenges

Some clients who have felt stuck or disappointed with previous therapy experiences have found my approach—informed by narrative therapy practices—refreshing and meaningful. (If this is your first time seeking therapy, rest assured that we’ll keep things straightforward and avoid unnecessary jargon.)

Additionally, I have advanced knowledge in digital wellness 🌐, making me a go-to resource for individuals and families aiming to cultivate healthier relationships with technology.

• In therapy, I integrate digital wellness concepts when appropriate, helping clients address the impact of technology on their lives.

• Additionally, I offer Digital Wellness Therapy Groups for teens and parents, specifically within a therapeutic context. These groups are designed to:

  • Cultivate healthier relationships with technology,

  • Navigate the challenges of digital life,

  • Promote overall mental and emotional wellbeing.

• For those seeking digital wellbeing guidance outside of therapy, I offer consultations through my role as Director of the California Center for Digital Wellbeing. These consultations—distinct and separate from therapy—are not a replacement for clinical mental health treatment and are available to individuals who are not already therapy clients. These consultations are educational and consultative in nature, focusing on practical skills, strategies, and informed guidance.

✏️ As a client-centered therapist, my primary focus is on you—your needs, your experiences, and your journey. While I might (tongue-in-cheek) say this section is arguably the least relevant part of my website (seriously, feel free to skip), I understand that some may find greater importance in connecting with a therapist who has personal experiences or a background that resonates with theirs.

For those who are curious about my story or who are seeking aspects of a therapist’s background that may foster a greater shared understanding, here’s a glimpse into my path.

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🛤 My journey to becoming a therapist wasn’t a straight line—it was a winding road filled with unexpected turns, all of which have uniquely shaped the way I practice today.

📍 From Upstate New York to Higher Education:
Growing up in Upstate New York, my early interests in technology and creativity laid the groundwork for a multifaceted career. During my undergraduate years, I honed my leadership skills as Vice President and Student Life Chair of the Student Senate, and was awarded the "Outstanding Student Leader Award" my senior year for excellence in service and dedication to student life. 

After graduating with a Bachelor of Technology in Information Technology - Web Development, I worked in higher education where I counseled and managed a residence hall population as a Residence Hall Director, developed leadership programs, and even taught courses and workshops at SUNY Geneseo and Buffalo State University. While at BSU, I studied at the Center for Applied Imagination and earned a Master of Science in Creativity & Change Leadership. This degree deepened my understanding of the creative process and set the stage for the unconventional career paths that followed. My time in academia taught me the importance of fostering growth and empowering others—skills that would later become integral to my therapeutic practice.

🎤 From Academia to Comedy:
With my first master’s degree in hand, a series of lucky breaks allowed me to pursue my passion for stand-up comedy professionally. During this chapter of my life, I completed training programs at world-renowned improvisational theaters, honed my craft on countless stages across the country, had the privilege of being invited to perform at more than a dozen comedy festivals, and even made a few television appearances. These experiences sharpened my ability to connect with diverse audiences, craft impactful stories, and become a keen observer and listener—skills that now influence my approach to therapy, especially in helping deconstruct narratives that may have shaped but no longer beneficially serve clients' experiences.

💻 “Falling Upwards” into Digital Media:
After relocating to Los Angeles for comedy, I "fell upward" in the digital media industry at my first writing job, rapidly progressing from comedy writer to head writer to Vice President of Content & Creative—all within my first year. I would go on to spend over a decade in the digital media and social media publishing industry, with the latter half as Senior Vice President of Operations, Marketing, & Partnerships. Leading the vision and execution for growing and monetizing a portfolio of prominent social brands with a collective audience of over 75 million followers, I gained a deep understanding of digital culture, content creation, and the pressures faced by individuals in the fast-paced tech and media industries. This experience provided me with valuable insights into the psychological effects of social media and technology, which I now integrate into my digital wellbeing consultations.

💡 Returning to the Helping Professions:
Inspired by the guidance of my own therapist and primary care physician, I returned to academia and earned a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology. This, combined with my earlier degrees, certification as a Digital Wellness Educator from the Digital Wellness Institute, an executive certificate in Social Media Strategy from MIT, and my decade of experience as an executive in digital media, uniquely positions me to support individuals navigating the complexities of modern life.

🌊 Embracing a Mindful Lifestyle:
Upon completing my graduate work and clinical training, I relocated to the Monterey Peninsula for a slower pace of life. Here, I’ve found a renewed sense of balance, where you can frequently find me running trails, gardening, playing pickleball, or alongside my English Bulldog exploring the ocean coast. This shift has deepened my appreciation for mindful living, which I bring into my work with clients as they navigate their own paths.

✨ Today, I integrate the insights and skills I’ve gained from these diverse experiences into my therapeutic practice.

Whether it's providing support for clients plagued by the effects of anxiety and depression, fostering creativity, or consulting with those experiencing debilitating distraction and overwhelm brought on by the challenges of our increasingly digital world, my approach is informed by a deep understanding of and curiosity for the human experience across different contexts. Together, I hope we can uncover the paths that lead to a richer, more satisfying life.

• 🎓 Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology
  Antioch University Los Angeles
  General Practice Specialization
  Professional Development Coursework

• 🎓 Master of Science in Creativity and Change Leadership
  Center for Applied Imagination
  Buffalo State University

• 🎓 Bachelor of Technology in Information Technology - Web Development
  Alfred State College

• 📘 Certified Digital Wellness Educator
  The Digital Wellness Institute

• 📕 Executive Program Certificate of Completion
  “Social Media Strategy: Creating Engagement, Insight, & Action”
  MIT Sloan School of Management

• 📗 Science Literacy Professional Certificate of Completion
  University of Alberta

• 📁 Registered Associate Marriage & Family Therapist | AMFT #130919

  • Supervised by Israel “Rulik” Perla, Ph.D., LMFT #43965

  • Practicing under the auspices of the Center for Psychotherapy, Spirituality & Creativity (CPSC), a 501(c) nonprofit organization offering quality counseling and therapy services throughout California.