I believe that everyone has the innate ability to heal and is always moving towards wholeness and resolution.

I view psychotherapy as an opportunity for you to connect with yourself—a space to explore your capacity to heal, understand, and express your needs, empowering you to choose a healthy and fulfilling life.

my background

​I bring a range of life experiences to my work as a therapist.  I grew up in a multicultural, Asian household in Guam, a tiny microcosm of the East, West, and Pacific Islander ways. I went to boarding school and did my first year of university in Japan before transferring to a school in New York City. I've been an investment manager at both boutique and international real estate investment companies, a yoga instructor and arts facilitator at a county juvenile hall, a bereavement counselor at a hospice, and a product manager at an internet start-up.  I'm also a mama and a wife.  All of these aspects of my background inform my work as a therapist, and I welcome and invite all the varied aspects of your background.

my approach

Through my years of graduate training and experience in private practice, I've learned that no single approach works for every client, couple, or family. My role, as I see it, is to attune to the unique complexity of your life as it is now, offering tools and frameworks with flexibility and curiosity. I'm especially interested in collaborating with you to help you discover—or rediscover—your own capacities for creativity, resilience, and wisdom.

Change in therapy is born out of the relationship between therapist and client - I promise there will be moments of laughter, tears, silence, celebration, and wonder.

availability

As a working parent, I generally see clients on weekdays between the hours of 9am and 4pm; with special exceptions on occasion. I'm currently seeing most clients over secure video conference. 

I'm continuing to accept new clients during this time; please be in touch for more details.

​fees

My fees are comparable to most other therapists in the area.  I do offer a slightly discounted rate for those you can pay through cash apps.

​I do not accept private insurance, although I am happy to provide you with the invoice you need if your insurance company reimburses you for out of network providers.

location

My office is located in San Mateo, CA - by the intersection of I-92 and El Camino Real. 

training

I have a license to practice psychotherapy in California (LMFT#86242).  I'm a member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists.

EMDR Basic Training completed and EMDRIA Certification in process (evidenced based treatment of traumatic events)

certificate: Smart, But Scattered - Executive Skills Coaching for Elementary and Secondary Age Levels - complete (2021)

certificate: Neurosequential Method of Therapeutics (Treatment of Developmental Trauma by Child Trauma Academy) / Phase 1 (2016)

Trained under:

• Fanita English, psychoanalyst and psychotherapist (Transactional Analysis)

• Armand Volkas, Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, MFA, MFT, RDT, BCT (Drama and Expressive Therapy)

• Don and Carol Hadlock, MFT - The Process Therapy Institute

• Candise Leininger, LPC and Holly Forman-Patel, LMFT, LPC - EMDR Consultants