Welcome, I am so glad you are here. Something is directing your healing journey towards therapy – You might sense it in your body as a “knowing,” you might hear it in some quiet voice from within, you might feel it from a place of hopelessness. Wherever this signal is coming from, know that this is your intuition communicating with you. Therapy is a beautiful opportunity to nurture your inner voice, which may be shadowed by traumatic experiences and societal oppression. My primary goal is to foster a transformative space that is safe, non-judgemental, and compassionate.

As a trauma-focused therapist, I am interested in exploring the root causes of your current experiences. I view symptoms as important, although sometimes painful, messengers telling us “something has to change.” I am a strengths-based, mind-body therapist utilizing techniques including Mindful Self-Compassion, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). I specialize in supporting queer and trans young people coping with body image and eating issues with gender-affirming, fat-positive, and intuitive eating frameworks. My therapeutic style stems from a firm belief that therapy must be anti-oppressive to be truly healing. Therefore, I am committed to exploring how racism, cisheteropatriarchy, fatphobia, ableism, capitalism, among other forces, have impacted your well-being. An intersectional and liberatory lens can powerfully guide us towards sustainable and values-aligned evolution. 

Seeking a new therapist can feel vulnerable or stressful, and it can also be a loving and courageous act. I hope you know that exploration on its own is a strength to be recognized. It would be an honor to partner with you in this movement towards groundedness, authenticity, and joy. 

Couples Therapy

Many of us have not been properly equipped to navigate relationships. Couples therapy can be a wonderful way to re-establish connection, build upon communication skills, and support each other’s individual healing. I strive to support you all in identifying authentic and ground-up relationship goals beyond societal expectations. I am sex-positive and affirming of LGBTQ+ couples and folks in polyamorous relationships. 

Experience

I have previous experience working with queer and trans youth and young adults on their journeys towards self compassion in private practice and university settings. I have collaborated with clients coping with anxiety, depression, suicidality, eating disorders, trauma, and more. Alongside my clinical work, my work as an LGBTQ+ educator, researcher, and youth mentor have nurtured my community-oriented and systems-critical therapeutic approach. 

Licensure

I am a Clinical Fellow at Balanced Awakening. I have several years of clinical experience and am accruing additional supervised practice to be eligible for the LCSW credential in the state of Illinois. I am supervised by Andrea Espinosa, LCSW outside of appointment times.