Find a therapist in Irvine, CA — covered by insurance

As a licensed therapist with both an MSW and a PhD in clinical practice and research, I bring a depth of academic knowledge and real-world experience to my work with individuals and couples. My approach is rooted in compassion, collaboration, and evidence-based strategies tailored to meet each client’s unique needs.

I specialize in helping people navigate life transitions, relationship challenges, emotional resilience, and self-exploration. Whether you're seeking personal growth or looking to strengthen your connection with a partner, my goal is to create a safe, affirming space where meaningful insight and change can emerge.

Making the decision to start therapy is a profound investment of your time, energy, and vulnerability. If you are looking for a blank-slate clinician who simply nods and listens, we might not be the best fit. I offer a highly engaged, malleable, and unflinching partnership.

My approach is rooted in the belief that while the work of untangling our lives is deeply structural, the room itself doesn't always have to feel heavy. I bring a grounded warmth to my practice—which means knowing how to sit quietly in the gravity of a difficult truth, but also knowing when to break the tension, exhale, and find the light in the sheer complexity of being human. I won’t just sit in silence while you do all the heavy lifting; I am an active collaborator who adapts to exactly where you are.

More that fifteen years of teaching English and drama at a Los Angeles public high school taught me many things - primarily, it taught me how often people's barriers to achievement are not due to any lack of skill or ability, but rather from emotional barriers stemming from stress, adversity and trauma. So, I went back to graduate school to pursue a new career as a therapist so that I could help in a different way. My training and experience has focused on treating anxiety disorders, PTSD (including Complex-PTSD) and also couples - helping them to navigate challenges and triggers so that they can reset and reconnect.

I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 19 years of experience helping adults, teens, couples, and families facing a variety of issues including relationship problems, anxiety, depression, parenting challenges, trauma, grief, work stressors. My goal is to provide a supportive and safe space for you to explore your challenges and seek meaningful change. Together, we can navigate life's complexities, improve your well-being, and help you build stronger relationships.

Hi! Are you curious about what therapy would be like? Or maybe you’ve gone before and are back for more? One of my first goals is to make sure you feel at ease with the therapeutic process. You don’t have to worry about what to say or where to start. It’s my honor and duty to ask the questions and listen intently. I’m here for you!