What would you do if you weren’t afraid?
-Sheryl Sandberg
What You Can Expect
Therapy with me is spacious, relational, and grounded in humor, honesty, and care. I bring warmth, compassion, and a deep respect for your lived experience. When we take a simple metaphor to its absolute limit, we’ll probably laugh at some point, too. But I also bring curiosity— the kind that helps us notice what’s been quietly asking for your attention.
Many of the people I work with are deep thinkers, overperformers, or quietly overwhelmed—highly attuned to others, but not always to themselves. They’ve learned to minimize their own needs in order to keep things functioning. Some come in unsure if what they’re feeling is “valid”—but through reflection, giving language to what’s hard to express, and time, a stronger sense of self begins to take shape.
My approach is collaborative and unrushed—focused on meaningful change at a pace that you set. Some clients work with me short-term; others stay for years, finding that the space we create together becomes a long-term home for reflection, clarity, and growth.
Often what we’re doing in therapy is deconstructing the idea that we have to earn our worth through doing, proving, or pleasing.
That belief can run deep—shaping how we show up at work, in relationships, and even in our own inner dialogue. It can make rest feel indulgent, softness feel unsafe, and asking for help feel like failure. In our work together, we begin to question those old rules. Slowly, we create space for something else: more self-trust, more permission, and a new kind of worth that doesn’t depend on performance.
When your truth is mirrored back with care, something shifts inside. Confidence grows. Self-compassion settles in. And with a few dialed-in skills—like grounding, more embodied living, and less pressure to be perfect—you begin to realize: you are already enough.
Meet Homer: Emotionally available, professionally unlicensed.
A Bit More About Me
I’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest for over two decades, and its textures—moss, fog, forests, birdsong—have become part of my internal landscape. I like my life quiet and richly lived—full of books, loved ones, rivers, forest paths, warm kitchens, and unexpected beauty. I’m also the lucky companion of a rat terrier named Homer—small in size, big in feelings.
I’m endlessly curious, whether I’m learning a new therapy modality, trying a new recipe, or noticing something quiet and striking on a walk. I believe that wonder can be found anywhere—in a body relearning safety, in a moment of honesty, or in the flash of iridescence on a mushroom cap.
I’ve lived abroad in Europe and China—experiences that shaped my understanding of identity, culture, and the often-complex process of finding belonging. I’m also adopted, and that part of my story informs how I hold space for questions of attachment, identity, and family with tenderness and respect. I don’t assume sameness—but I bring lived experience that helps me sit with what’s layered, unspoken, or still unfolding.
I love working with AAPI people, immigrants, and people who’ve lived between cultures—including expats and adult third-culture kids. I bring cultural humility and deep curiosity to this work, and I aim to create space that feels attuned, respectful, and affirming.
Working Values
-
I recognize and understand that my background and lived experience shape my world view, and I am navigating my own privilege on an ongoing basis. I strive to use my position to act with, and for, others in pursuit of identifying and ending systemic racism and social oppression. Through I actively seek out a varied perspectives and resources, I acknowledge my perspective is limited and thus fluid.
I understand that the very topic of mental health is a social justice issue. Acknowledging that fact requires action to change it. Here are some ways I live this value:
1) I advocate to create more justice and equity by increasing awareness and decreasing stigma about mental illness.
2) Mental health is critically tied to other issues including economic, political, and social rights and opportunities. I reserve a generous number of spots for sliding scale appointments as a means to dismantle oppressive systems and attitudes.
3) I do not take for granted that it is a privilege to share a therapeutic space with clients.
-
We humans have a natural drive to explore, learn, and grow. I value the potential of every person to continue learning throughout their lifespan, in formal and informal settings, including in the context of counseling services. I too am a lifelong learner and seek out experience and education to promote growth in my personal interests and professional ambitions. I take my responsibility to provide quality care seriously, and lifelong learning is vital in the fields of mental health and rehabilitation counseling to stay current, learn new skills, and deepen my knowledge.
-
As a core value, compassion means accepting each individual’s implicit value, recognizing we are all linked through mutual humanity, and caring enough to act in ways that reduce suffering. Personal healing and growth look different for everyone. I strive to provide a nonjudgmental environment where I listen carefully and every person feels heard and validated.
-
I understand it can be at once daunting and liberating to seek professional guidance for problems you’ve struggled with on your own. I value a strong interpersonal and therapeutic relationship to create a safe environment that is free of judgment. I honor all voices through respectful dialogue, systemic attunement, and a supportive working alliance.
-
Respecting autonomy means assisting people in making the changes they want in their lives and empowering them to set intentions and goals that align with their values. Here, you will have a supportive space to help you to clarify your values and goals, increase mindfulness and self-awareness, and identify and build your individual strengths. You have the inner wisdom to realize your potential and be your authentic self.
Continuing Education
Select continuing education coursework includes:
EMDR 5-day intensive training
Pain Reprocessing Therapy training
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
Compassion-Focused CBT
Somatic Attachment Therapy
Psychedelics and EMDR Therapy
Plant Medicine & Psychedelic Assisted Therapies
Please note: I am not certified to administer or prescribe psychedelics and plant medicines; however, I believe in harm reduction and value research, preparation, and the integration of these experiences.
As a licensee of the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists, I abide by its Code of Ethics. To maintain my license, I am required to participate in continuing education and take classes dealing with subjects relevant to this profession. I am also bound to the Professional Code of Ethics established by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification and participate in continuing education relevant to this professional credential.
Professional Credentials
Licensed Professional Counselor (C#8453)
Board Certified Rehabilitation Counselor - The Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (2008-present)
Board Certified Career Counselor - The National Career Development Association (2020-present)
Education:
I received a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in 2008. This degree promotes the philosophy, principles and practice of self-determination, empowerment, inclusion, and respect for individual differences. My education prepared me to identify the influences and functional impacts of mental health, chronic illness, injury, and/or disability across human development and the lifespan.
