What made you decide to become a counselor?

The world always seemed like such a big difficult place to me. I knew from the time that I

was little that I wanted to do something to at least make the world a little softer and

brighter. I tried volunteering, mentoring, and making documentaries, but nothing seemed

quite right. Working with people had always been my passion and I decided to go back to

school to become a therapist because I always believed in the quote, “Helping one person

might not change the world, but it could change the world for one person.”

If you could teach the world one skill or technique to improve their lives, what would it be?

Emotion regulation. I think there are a lot of things we miss out on growing up, especially

when we grow up in homes that aren’t ideal. But one vital skill that most people never

learn is how to manage emotions. The average person walking down the street doesn’t

know what to do if they feel panic, rage, or loneliness. When you start to learn that

emotions are just signals from your body and how to interpret them, then you can

understand your emotions better. Once you understand your emotions, you can begin to

cope with them effectively, and honestly that can feel like a superpower.

Have you personally been in counseling and if so, what did you learn about yourself?

Yes, I know just what it’s like to feel vulnerable and sit on the other side of the office. I

learned that no one is immune from struggle and breaking down the idea of perfection as

the ideal standard is very powerful. I also learned that just giving voice to my own truth is

very freeing.

If you could recommend one book to all your clients, what would it be?

Clarity and Connection by Yung Pueblo. It is a beautifully relatable book about healing,

relationships, and our connection with ourselves.

Who is your ideal client?

I love working with clients who are ready to do the work. Sometimes therapy can be

difficult and uncomfortable. I’ll always hang in there with you if you are ready. Know that

sometimes, with your consent, I might offer you a perspective or a solution that could be

difficult to hear. But I will always be kind, and I won’t push you if you aren’t ready.

What inspires you to help others?

I have so much privilege and have been given so much in my life, I wouldn’t feel right if I

didn’t give back and help others on their journey.

How do you personally practice self-care?

I say “no”. If I don’t want to do something, I’m honest. I always show up for myself. I also

make sure to unplug and take time away from social media to be in the world doing things

that I love.

If you are hosting a dinner party, who are the 3 people you would invite and why? 

Yung Pueblo, because he is the most beautiful, insightful author I’ve ever read. I think he

could teach me how to live life in a more authentic and meaningful way. Brené Brown,

because she is an amazing woman who, through her work, has taught me so much about

courage, vulnerability, and authenticity. It would be amazing to meet such an accomplished

woman who could elevate my understanding of how to be such a strong fearless woman.

Third, I would invite Jónsi, from Sigur Rós, because no matter where I am when I hear his

music, I feel like I am at home. I think someone who understands humanity in this way

would be indescribable to meet.

How do you relate to Mindfulness? How do you incorporate it in your sessions?

To me, mindfulness is about present moment awareness with curiosity and without

judgment. The value of this is learning to get out of our heads and live in the moment. A

way I like to get into mindfulness is with grounding work, where we focus on noticing the

present moment by focusing on the five senses. Additionally, if a client has never tried

meditation before, often we can try a short meditation together and discuss the experience.