"Grief is not a problem to solve. But it helps to have somewhere honest to put it."

I'm a licensed marriage and family therapist based in Carlsbad, California. I see clients in person in North County San Diego, and via telehealth throughout the state.

Most of the people I work with are navigating loss in some form - a death, a diagnosis, or the grief that quietly accumulates during a major life change. My primary specialty is grief, bereavement, and end-of-life support, and I also work with people going through other significant transitions: new parenthood, divorce, empty nesting, and career reinvention.

I came to this work because I'm genuinely interested in why we do what we do - the stories we inherited, the patterns we formed early, and what it takes to actually change them. Not just talk about changing them.

How I work

Therapy that's direct, warm,
and actually goes somewhere.

I don't believe in sitting quietly while you talk and occasionally saying "how does that make you feel?" That's not therapy - that's a very expensive phone call with yourself.

I'm an active participant in sessions. I'll ask the questions you might be avoiding, make connections you might not have spotted, and sometimes say the thing that's a little uncomfortable to hear. I do it because I think you deserve honesty more than you need to feel comfortable the whole time.

That said, I take my cues from you. Some weeks we go deep. Some weeks you just need space to think out loud with someone who's paying real attention. Both are useful.

  • Pattern-focusedWe spend time understanding not just what's happening now, but the through-line - where a behavior or belief started, and how it's been showing up in different forms ever since.

  • Relationship-awareWhether we're working on an individual concern or a relationship issue, I pay attention to how people show up in connection with others. Most of the important stuff happens there.

  • Direct, but not prescriptiveI'll share my perspective - including when I think something isn't serving you - but you're the expert on your own life. The goal is your clarity, not my approval.

  • Practical and groundedSessions aren't just about insight - they're about what you actually do differently when you leave. We work toward change that shows up in your real life.

What to expect

So what does a session
actually look like?

Sessions are 50 minutes, either in-person at my Carlsbad office or via telehealth. First sessions are mostly conversation - I want to understand what's bringing you in, a bit about your history, and what you're hoping for. There's no intake questionnaire the length of a novel.

From there, we find a cadence that works for you. Most clients start with weekly sessions and then shift to every two weeks once things feel more stable. Some people come in for a specific transition and wrap up in a few months. Others stay longer because they're working on deeper patterns. There's no right answer.

You can text or email me with questions between sessions. I'm not a therapist who disappears between appointments.

A note on values

Who you are is welcome here.

I want to be clear that my practice is genuinely affirming - not just in word. LGBTQ+ clients, clients across all body sizes, and neurodivergent clients have always been part of my practice. I approach therapy through an anti-racist lens, and I'm committed to ongoing learning about how identity, culture, and power shape people's experiences and their paths to healing.

If any part of who you are has felt like something you need to explain or defend in a therapy room, you won't find that here.