Services
About My Clients
I work to center the needs of queer, trans, gender nonconforming, BIPOC and all people living with marginalized identities. This means I am curious about your individual story and won't make assumptions and push any agenda. I welcome discussions of how our identities, be they shared or not, affect how we navigate the work and the world. I have trained in supporting people through gender affirming surgeries including letter of support.
My Background and Approach
The most important part of your therapeutic work is the relationship between you and your counselor. I am here to hold safe space, check in with your feelings, sometimes offer gentle challenges, and be part of your understanding yourself more while recognizing the ways our culture is actually the problem. I also approach our work from a Narrative Therapy perspective. As its name implies, we will work on your story and how we define our lives through our learned history. Additionally, most of us have experienced trauma somewhere in our lives; I am trained in Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) to help your feel less burdened by these trauma stories. I am a graduate of Portland State University and feel really connected to this community. In addition to counseling, I also train future counselors as an adjunct professor. I also have extensive experience as a crisis hotline counselor.
My Personal Beliefs and Interests
I have a background in fine arts and enjoy painting in my free time; the exploration of the creative identity is brought into my work. I have a decades-long Zen Buddhist practice which I incorporate into mindfulness practices and experiencing life with a beginner's mind. I am also connected to Judaism and find the concept Tikkun Olam very applicable to therapeutic work. I have very healthy boundaries while also letting my client know enough about me to build a solid therapeutic bond. I love to travel and make contact with the world through food. and finally, I like to hike but think of myself as more the indoorsy type.