My Story
I grew up always being a creative person. When life became difficult, I would turn to art-making as a way to cope and find meaning. When I was still in high school and started to think about which career path I wanted to take, I just happened to stumble upon art therapy. While getting my undergraduate degrees, I worked different jobs like being a preschool teacher and art teacher for different marginalized youth, which all reinforced my desire to become an art therapist. I moved to Portland to pursue my graduate degree at Marylhurst University and have stayed here ever since! I've worked many different settings from inpatient, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient, providing individual, family, and group counseling - both art therapy specific and more traditional therapy modalities. I've also had the joy of helping create mental health programs through therapy curriculum development.
Outside of being a therapist, I enjoy spending my time going for walks/hikes, swimming, taking care of my plants, dying my hair different shades of pink, and of course, making a lot of art.
My Approach
No matter how we are engaging in your treatment, whether it be virtual or in-person, making art or simply talking, I always put the therapeutic relationship first. Feeling connected, heard, and like you can trust your therapist is what will make therapy more effective. I find value in feedback, finding your own rhythm, and using humor. I enjoy balancing warmth and validation with some irreverence.
I specialize in Art Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Trauma-Informed Care.