My Approach
My style is warm, supportive, and collaborative with a good balance between listening and providing guidance. My goal is to provide a safe and affirming space where you can show up as you are. I am also gently challenging when opportunities for growth arise to help you reach your goals.
I take an integrative approach to therapy as I believe that every client is unique with different experiences and needs. I use the pieces of various methods that would work for each client based on their particular concerns. While I do use Feminist Therapy and Interpersonal Process Therapy as the foundations of my work, I also draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy.
As a Feminist Therapy psychologist, I fundamentally believe that most mental health concerns occur in response to oppressive environments, histories, and situations. From an Interpersonal Process perspective, I also believe that relationships and community are an essential part of our healing as human beings. In my approach to healing, I often focus on naming the connection between the distress and the oppression faced in one’s environment (e.g., “I am depressed because people shut me down at work) to avoid blaming oneself (e.g., “I am not good enough to do this job). Once a client is able to recognize these external forces, they can begin to work through them in therapy. This will open the door for healing and connection, which will in turn have a positive impact on mental health.
Ultimately, my goal is for you to walk away from therapy feeling more confident in your voice, power, and strength so that you are able to successfully navigate different environments and situations. I also hope to leave you more connected to the things in life that energize you, like relationships, community, and positive coping strategies.
Does this sound like a good fit? Schedule a free consultation to talk more about working together.
Credentials & Experience
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Bachelor’s in Psychology from New Mexico State University
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Master’s in Counseling & Guidance from New Mexico State University
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Doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Indiana University
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Doctoral Internship at Colorado State University Health Network
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Licensed Psychologist in the state of Colorado (#4948)
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Trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
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Trained in providing mental health services in Spanish, in addition to being a native Spanish-speaker.
Since 2010, I have served adults at various universities and surrounding communities. Much of my work has focused on helping professionals find a balance between personal and professional demands, navigating challenging work environments, and building fulfilling relationships toward increased life and career satisfaction. In my work with students, I have helped young adults with a range of concerns including the transition to adulthood, negotiating changing roles within their families, learning healthy coping skills and caring for their mental health, all the way to more serious concerns that often jeopardized their chances to successfully complete college.
More recently in my specialist roles working with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), I helped students and professionals navigate the “isms” and oppression that often comes with moving through primarily white institutions and spaces. My work focused on helping clients identify the ways in which their experiences led to self-doubt, self-blame, isolation, and shame, while planting new seeds of self-advocacy, resilience, confidence, and community. I also contributed to the training of mental health professionals by facilitating seminars for trainees to reflect on their social identities toward recognizing and addressing identity-related power issues in therapy.
I truly enjoyed being a part of these communities and my work in these specialist roles. I wanted to continue this work while also being able to help folx who are struggling with broader systemic inequities. Ultimately, this was the driving force for creating Restorative Counseling & Wellness. This endeavor allows me to spend my time doing this fulfilling work and affords me the opportunity to continue empowering individuals toward success as they navigate various power structures in their lives.
A Little About Me
I grew up in a small town in southwest New Mexico, the kind that you miss if you blink. I moved out to the Indiana for my doctorate and spent four years there. While I appreciated my time in the Midwest and how green it was, I couldn’t wait to come back west.
I matched at Colorado State University Health Network Counseling Services for my doctoral internship, which afforded me the opportunity to be closer to my home state and to make Colorado my new home. I spent three years in Loveland before relocating briefly to Flagstaff, Arizona. I just couldn't stay away and was excited to return and lay down roots in the area—it just felt right to be back.
In my spare time, I enjoy hands-on activities such as home improvement projects and crafting. I try to stay active by taking long walks, being on the water, or hiking. I also enjoy playing boardgames, trying out food trucks and hole-in-the-wall restaurants, and going to see plays. But really, I am a homebody at heart and love curling up on the couch watching comedies or Grey’s Anatomy.