Book a therapist or psychiatrist in Encinitas, CA covered by Cigna

Hi, I'm Fanta—yes, like the soda (and yes, there's a story behind it, but of course it has nothing to do with soda!). With nearly 20 years in the mental health field and over a decade providing therapy, I've walked alongside children, families, couples, and adults as they’ve faced some of life’s toughest moments.

I truly believe that “the struggle you're in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow.” Life brings challenges, but how we respond to them shapes our path forward. I’ve been there too, and I know how important it is to feel supported as you find your way through.

My goal is to work with you—not for you or around you, but with you—as you build the tools and confidence to navigate whatever life throws your way. We’ll work together to recognize negative thought patterns, build self-compassion, and strengthen your connection with yourself and those around you.

More than anything, I’m here to create a space that feels safe, empathetic, and judgment-free. A space where you can be fully you, speak your truth, and start to heal.

I strive to provide a warm, safe, and non-judgmental environment for my clients. I am passionate about helping clients find support and tools to navigate life's challenges, release emotional burdens, and reconnect with their own strengths and values. My goal is to provide a space where you feel heard, understood, respected, and empowered to move forward through life's challenges.

What patterns keep repeating in your life, even when part of you wants something different? I work with infants, children, adolescents, adults, and seniors, with a particular focus on experiences that are hard to put into words: the quiet accumulation of feeling disconnected or unseen, questions around adoption and family origins, infertility, the emotional weight of becoming a parent, and the grief that comes when life takes an unexpected shape. A lot of what brings people to therapy is not a single event. It builds. I trained at UCLA and bring both clinical depth and genuine warmth to this work.

I am a LCSW. My background includes working in the prison system, medical social work, school social work and the foster care system. I specialize in supporting LGBTQ+ people, veterans, trauma victims, first responders, and survivors of domestic abuse.

My passion lies in working with clients who need assistance with personal empowerment and identity development. My goal is to instill hope by identifying areas of strength, resilience, and capacity for positive change. Effective therapy takes effort and commitment from both the therapist and the client.

I'm a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in the South Bay area of California, and I work with clients virtually. Before starting my own practice, I spent two and a half years at a residential treatment program working with adolescents and their families, using individual, family, and group therapy to support teens through some of their hardest moments. Earlier in my career, I worked in community mental health, where I supported a wide range of clients, including couples, children in elementary school through an art therapy partnership program, and adults of all ages. As I grow my private practice, I'm looking to work with a broader range of populations and case types than I did in my previous roles.

At my core, I’m a mindful, committed, and deeply caring person. Being a therapist is simply one expression of that—I feel called to help people, and this is the work through which I do it.

I completed my undergraduate work at UCSB and later earned my master’s degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University. The early part of my career was in corporate management roles. My experience in the business sector provides me with special insight into the particular demands of balancing work, life, and family roles.

I am a licensed therapist who has been working in the field since 2014 with diverse individuals in different settings. I attended California State Polytechnic University for my Bachelors Degree in Psychology and the University of Southern California for my Masters in Social Work. I specialize in working with individuals suffering from anxiety, depression, trauma, women's issues and grief and loss issues. On a personal note, I love to hike, cook and watch movies.