Are you at your wit’s end with your child?  Do you find yourself asking “where did my sweet child go?” or “what has gotten into them?”  Maybe you see them struggling in school, fighting against depression or anxiety, or perhaps they’re struggling to make and keep healthy friendships with their peers.  Either way, you are worried and concerned about your child’s welfare and what the future may hold.

There are so many factors that go into the process of growing up. Perhaps there is an upcoming divorce or a job relocation which means that family life as you know it will be changing.  Or perhaps it’s learning how to change and adapt as they are growing up and having to navigate their own way in the world. 

You obviously care very much or else you wouldn't be here. My goal is to work with your child and help them develop positive coping skills to take on the challenges of growing up.  I aim to create a space where they feel comfortable and supported; as an outside adult, I have that luxury and ability to do so.  While I can't tell you the play by play of our sessions, I can collaborate with you to problem solve and make adjustments in order to integrate the work done in session with the home and school environments. 

Please click here for information to give to your child before our first session.  It will answer some questions they likely have about this process.  And remember, if we all put in the work, we can produce positive change together.

My pronouns are she/her, and I have experience supporting gender non-binary folks in both my professional and personal lives.  I spent two years at the legendary Lyon-Martin Health Services, a women’s and trans clinic in San Francisco; here, I became quite familiar with the daunting tasks of gender/name changes through the DMV and courts and navigating the surgery letter gauntlet.

I am savvy but not “in the scene” enough to the extent that you’ll accidentally run into me at a house party.  I can be a support for folks at various stages of transition whether that’s identity or expression based.  Wherever you are in that journey, I will hear you, see you and be right there with you.

Trust me, you will never hear me ask “where are you from from?” 

Life can be difficult enough at baseline, and having to explain cultural norms and nuances to a well-meaning therapist can add to the exhaustion.  A quick Google search for a therapist reveals that the vast majority of working therapists are Caucasian/white; I know it can be hard to identify and feel safe with someone when you feel that they don’t “get” where you’re coming from.  I have years of experience helping clients improve their relationships within the workplace and in their personal lives.

Without a doubt, we have not had the same childhood or current every day, but that sense of sitting across from someone who’s lived a glimmer of your experience can feel like a buoy when times are hard.

Trauma can and will look different for every person. An experience that one person may “weather” and keep carrying on may greatly and adversely someone else. There is absolutely no prize at the end for how “tough” or “resilient” we are (these were big “it” words back in the day), and no one should feel ashamed for their reactions to any form of physical, emotional and psychological trauma.

“If something is moving that shouldn’t, use duct tape.  If something isn’t moving that should, use WD-40.” Or let’s try therapy.  Many factors go into our day to day-- job, lack of job, roommates, partners, family, our own emotions-- and each component can make life easier or harder.  Throw into the mix, a CHANGE, good or bad, and a reset could be in order.