Specialties

Depression

Depression can interfere with your daily tasks. While the symptoms varied from person to person, you can often tell that “something is not right.” People have described it as a “dark cloud” over their heads, where they feel sadness, hopelessness, loss of energy, difficulty concentrating, and even increased anger or irritability. Some may have thoughts of suicide or self-harm. Depression is highly treatable if you seek help. We will work together to explore issues that may contribute to your depression and help you regain a sense of control so you may experience joy and pleasure in life!

Anxiety

While anxiety could be a healthy response to certain triggers, there are so many situations where that unpleasant feelings cross the threshold of feeling safe and can get in the way of of everyday life (cue: social anxiety and panic attacks!). Racing thoughts, excessive worries, constant fear, restlessness, or that “panicky feeling” shouldn’t be something you get used to. Though some of you may have even lived with it for a period of time to the point that you see it as your baseline or consider it as simply part of you. But it doesn’t have to be! Anxiety often is a symptom that signals other issues that you may or may not be aware of. But you do not have to always be that “anxious person” or even avoid certain things you enjoy because of it! Spending some time exploring how anxiety impacts you and sources that impact your anxiety can bring us closer to finding the right coping tools for you!

Trauma is a complicated issue. Like other mental health struggles, it doesn’t leave any visible injuries but often stay with you for a long time. A common misconception is that something big and terrible has to happen in order to be constituted as trauma. But the truth is, there is no set threshold or concrete measurement of how much harm is “bad enough” to cause trauma. It certainly could be an event that is life-threatening, or ongoing incidents such as neglect or abuse. So often people come to therapy, without realizing what they carry with them. But through open and vulnerable discussion, they recognize the disruption and impacts of certain events have on them, which later leads to healing and recovery. Trauma can have adverse effects on multiple facets of one’s life, your self-esteem, your relationships with others, your mental health, or even your physical health. But with some work and openness, healing is possible, and it worth every effort that you put in. You can (and will) become stronger in spite of the pain you experience, not because of it.

Trauma Recovery

Self-esteem

Do you experience a lot of negative self-talk? Sometimes it feels like you have a live-in bully who constantly makes you feel bad about yourself! Self-esteem is far more than just how confident you feel about yourself, it encompasses other factors such as your identity, sense of competence, and sense of belonging, and it has ripple effects of whether you are deserving of love and respect, as well as how you allow others to treat you. The signs of low self-esteem are often subtle and… quiet. For example, people with low self-esteem may struggle to pursue their goals, or they may go out of their way to make sure others are happy with them. While that may bring temporary comfort, the truth is that having low self-esteem contributes to a lot of different issues and struggles. Don’t let your self-esteem or lack of confidence hold you back from fulfillment. You deserve to feel happy and confident about yourself!

A healthy relationship is grounded on trust and vulnerability. When you connect with others in a meaningful way, the relationship becomes something that is nourishing, and we as human are drawn to that kind of connections. While hardships can potentially be part of the ebbs and flows in the broader context of relationship, if you start noticing the same patterns or similar results playing out in your relationships, it could be extremely effective to use individual therapy to explore how your personal issues and dynamics might be affecting your relationship.

Relationship Issues

Identity Development

Identity development is a continual process throughout one’s lifespan. You may thought you got it all figured out in high school, but next the two decades in your life are the prime time to further solidify who you are as a person! Sometimes you may feel you can’t or shouldn’t show part of who you are, fearful of the disappointment or rejection that may come your way if you were to reveal your true self. The world around you may make you feel lonely or not deserving because of the identities you hold- let it be race, gender, sexuality, spirituality, or cultural practice. We can explore that in our space together! I want to help you to be able to show up authentically and unapologetically for yourself.