At the root of my work is a deep commitment to uprooting shame and fostering authentic connection. I believe that healing happens through relationships, whether that's within ourselves, our communities, or the therapeutic space. My approach is shaped by my harm-reduction work in Skid Row, where I supported trans women, sex workers, and individuals navigating severe mental health challenges and substance use within oppressive systems. Practicing harm reduction in these spaces reinforced my belief that therapy should not seek to "fix" people but rather help them reclaim their stories, recognize their inherent worth, and build lives that reflect their agency and self-determination.
 

I specialize in working with couples and relationships, particularly those navigating challenges related to sex, intimacy, desire discrepancies, communication, and consensual non-monogamy. During my associateship at Mindful Pasadena Counseling, I supported couples and individuals in partnerships to build more authentic, connected, and fulfilling relationships. I also work with LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, people in care work such as sex workers and activists, and those navigating attachment wounds, life transitions, and the lasting impacts of complex trauma. My approach integrates an understanding of both personal patterns and the broader systems that shape our experiences and identities. I recognize how family dynamics, cultural expectations, and systemic/political violence impact mental health. I also work with individuals who have experienced medical trauma, helping them process the effects of medical violence and reclaim a sense of bodily autonomy. Recognizing the gaps in affirming clinical knowledge around sex work, kink, and nontraditional relationships, I have developed trainings to help therapists move from a pathologizing lens to one that honors resilience and agency.
 

Prior to my associateship, I completed a year-long community counselor training at the Southern California Counseling Center, which focused on decolonial approaches to therapy. I earned my MA at Antioch University, where I specialized in LGBTQIA+ affirmative therapy. During my traineeship, I worked simultaneously at two unique sites: Beach Cities Mental Health in Pasadena, CA, and The People Concern in Skid Row, Los Angeles, gaining experience in both private practice and community-based mental health. Following graduate school, I completed my associateship at Mindful Pasadena Counseling, where I deepened my work with couples, intimacy concerns, attachment dynamics, and major life transitions. In 2026, I completed the foundational course Assessing and Treating Sex Issues in Psychotherapy at the Institute for Relational Intimacy, where I continue to receive consultation from sex and relationship expert Martha Kauppi. I am currently supporting the formation of the Atwater Relational Center, a private practice founded by analyst Dr. Molly Martin. The center is rooted in the belief that our relationships offer powerful opportunities to understand and transform recurring patterns. Through individual, couples, family, and group therapy, we explore how relational narratives shape our lives and create possibilities for greater connection and change. My work is guided by a blend of psychodynamic, narrative, parts work, and mindfulness-based approaches, with an emphasis on providing direct feedback in order to disrupt old patterns. My approach is warm, curious, and direct.