My journey into the mental health field began in New York City in 2017, where I volunteered in the emergency departments of Bellevue Hospital and NYU Langone Hospital as an advocate for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. These early experiences deeply shaped my commitment to supporting individuals through some of their most vulnerable moments.

After earning my Master’s degree in Social Welfare (MSW) from UCLA in 2020, I worked full-time as a psychotherapist at the community mental health agency, Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services in Inglewood, CA. I provided care to a diverse population of adults facing a wide range of challenges, including severe depression, anxiety, trauma, psychosis, and complex mood disorders, often in the context of significant psychosocial stressors. This experience motivated me to gain additional training in trauma-informed and culturally responsive therapy. I began my doctoral studies in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) at Pepperdine University in 2022.

Throughout my doctoral program, I gained experience across various clinical settings, including Pepperdine’s Community Counseling Center in Calabasas, the Trauma and Recovery Services (TRS) clinic at the Sepulveda VA, and Persona Neurobehavior Group in Pasadena where I have administered psychodiagnostic and neuropsychological assessment batteries for individuals with various neurological, psychiatric, and medical disorders. I received specialized training in evidence-based trauma treatments, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), and Seeking Safety.