Book a therapist or psychiatrist in Atascadero, CA covered by United Healthcare

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in Orange County, California, and working with clients statewide via telehealth. I work with adults and specialize in anxiety, relationship issues, substance abuse/addiction, and trauma.

My communication style is calm, accommodating, and reassuring. I want my clients to feel comfortable talking with me about anything, and I pride myself on my ability to listen without judgment.

I decided to become a therapist because I have always wanted to help people. Whether it was as an epidemiologist working with the physically ill, mentoring high school students in relational and life decisions, or being a loyal friend, I have always naturally been drawn to helping people through difficult times. Now, as a therapist, I get to enjoy seeing people realize their full potential, heal from their pain, and identify and begin working toward a new future of hope for themselves.

I believe that understanding yourself is the first step toward creating meaningful change. I specialize in working with adults experiencing anxiety, ADHD, autism, and the unique challenges that can come with neurodivergence.

My passion for this work is deeply personal. As a woman diagnosed with ADHD at age 30, I understand firsthand how confusing and overwhelming it can be to navigate life with an ADHD brain—especially when your experiences weren’t recognized or understood earlier in life. I’m particularly passionate about supporting women and adults who are newly diagnosed and are beginning to make sense of themselves through a new lens. I also understand the complexities of parenting neurodivergent children while navigating your own neurodivergence.

I have extensive experience helping clients develop practical executive functioning skills, behavioral strategies, and systems to improve organization, time management, follow-through, and daily functioning. My goal is not to make you fit into a system that wasn’t designed for you, but to help you build strategies that work with the way your brain works.

Being an LMFT is my second career, and the one in which I finally feel like my best self. Having been in the business world for 20 years before this has given me lots of great life experience. I bring all of this and my blended family life to the table when I'm in the room with clients. They deserve the whole person.

I am a dedicated and compassionate Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP). With an unwavering passion for guiding individuals toward mental well-being, I leverage my extensive experience in advanced nursing practice to identify and address the root causes of mental health disorders.

Therapy is a journey of personal growth and healing. It takes courage and can be challenging, but you don’t have to embark alone. My hope is that, as your therapist, I can be the holder of hope and a source of support. After obtaining my Master's in Counseling degree in 2015, I have had a wide range of experience. I have worked with children, adolescents, adults and families as they work through a wide range of issues including traumatic experiences, grief, depression, and anxiety.

I have been a licensed marriage and family therapiist for over 30 years. I have had many years of experience working with clients in both inpatient and outpatient settings. My focus on treating clients is on improving and increasing coping skills to better manage emotions and/or relationships. I like to give specific tools that can be used outside of the session.

Guaranteed intake appointment available within a week, usually a few days! A provider you can reach directly, by text. Personal responses to all messages within 24 - 48 hours, always. Evening and weekend hours available.

Thanks for reading this. I am a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner with over 14 years of experience. I work with clients ages 6 to 86 struggling with depression, anxiety, ADHD, borderline personality disorder, substance abuse and other issues. I help clients to find stability and reduce suffering.

Depression and anxiety can be logical responses to difficult life events. Many adults who experienced losses and traumas in childhood have never processed these events and continue to suffer their impacts.

(Please note that I am no longer taking on new therapy clients, I am only accepting new clients for medication management at this time.)