I’m a queer Samoan therapist born and raised in San Francisco, and I’ve spent the past decade working in community mental health.
I am grounded in Pasifika values: teu le vā, how we nurture our connections, and tautua, the act of service that guides how we show up for ourselves and one another.
I’m direct, relational, and reflective in how I work. I started in early childhood mental health, which shaped how I understand people. It showed me how much our relationships, community, and culture influence who we become. The same things that help a young child grow — safe relationships, learning to identify and manage emotions, and having the freedom to explore — continue shaping us as adults.
Our past can show up today through our bodies, patterns, and the beliefs we carry about ourselves. Together we slow down and reflect. We take inventory of what’s working and what isn’t. We look at emotions, patterns, and relationships while paying attention to the body and nervous system and inviting more ease and kindness.
My first experience with therapy was pretty bad. The therapist made comments that felt out of touch with the nuances of identity and lived experience. I left that session and it would be years before I tried therapy again. Not every therapist is your therapist, that includes me. Schedule a free consult and ask all your questions to see if we’re a good fit.
Start with a 15 minute consult. It helps us get a feel for each other and more importantly for you to assess if we're a good fit. It's a good time for you to ask any questions you have about therapy.
In our first session, I’m mostly listening and getting a deeper sense of what’s bringing you in. We move at your pace, some folks know exactly what they want to talk about, others need help figuring that out—I can support with both. We also talk about what feels okay for you, what doesn’t, and what’s off-limits, so we can build a space that actually feels safe and meets you where you're comfortable.
