about me

For over a decade, I’ve had the privilege of walking alongside people as they navigate life’s complexities. My curiosity about how we relate, communicate, and make meaning was first shaped by my experience as a first-generation, multi-ethnic person growing up in the US—constantly observing, code-switching, and adapting to different environments. This perspective, along with a genuine passion for helping others, inspired me to become a therapist. I enjoy collaborating with clients to connect the dots in their stories—whether personal, familial, or communal—to uncover beliefs, patterns, and areas of focus that help you break down barriers and live a more grounded, full, and authentic life.

As a Palestinian and Salvadoran child of immigrants, born and raised in the Bay Area (Ohlone territory), I am passionate about supporting other first-generation and (im)migrant, BIPOC individuals and families. I’m here for those seeking to improve their day-to-day well-being, carry forward intergenerational strengths, and break cycles of trauma—to ultimately create a healthier collective. I’ve experienced firsthand how therapy can make a difference in these journeys, and I’m excited to support you in yours.

I grew up with Spanish, Arabic, and English spoken at home, and offer therapy in English and Spanish. Though I am still working on my Arabic, if your teta (or elder) yelled it at you, mine yelled it at me too. I’ll understand :)

In our work together, you can expect me to:

  • Create a non-judgmental, validating space where you can show up exactly as you are.

  • Act with warmth, bring in humor, and witness with deep empathy.

  • Draw from a variety of therapeutic approaches to meet you/your family’s unique needs and goals.

  • Support you and your family in navigating seemingly competing value systems to find harmony and connectedness.

  • Highlight your strength and agency.

  • Explore power structures and how they impact you/have impacted your lineage- the challenges and abilities they have created in everyday living/mental health.

  • Be open and transparent about how I protect your information/privacy. Especially for people with various documentation statuses, LGBTQ+ folks, organizers, and others who may be targeted by systems.

  • Hold hope. For you, your family, and community, for a more healed life.

What I won’t do:

  • Hold you or your family to Western/white-supremacist standards.

  • Tell you you can deep breathe your way out of oppression.

  • Recommend a weekend retreat to self-care your way out of chronic stress or burnout.

  • Think of you/your family in a vacuum.

My clinical experience has primarily focused on providing bilingual (Spanish/English) therapy services and mental health training/consultation in community mental health settings, largely with Latine and (im)migrant communities. I was a post-graduate fellow at the UCSF Child Trauma Research Program, where I became a rostered provider of Child-Parent Psychotherapy, an intensive, evidence-based therapy for young children (birth to approx age 5) and their caregivers to heal from trauma, stress, or mental health challenges. I earned my MA in Marriage and Family Therapy from the California School of Professional Psychology (operated under the Alliant International University umbrella), and have a BA in Interpersonal and Organizational Communications from Cal State, Long Beach.

To learn more about my offerings, visit my Services page. Or to connect and see if I’m a good fit for you, click below to book a 20-minute consultation.

I look forward to meeting you and supporting you in this phase of your journey!

experience

Private Practice, San Francisco Bay Area, 2025-Present

Canal Alliance, San Rafael, 2018–2025
Senior Manager of Behavioral Health
Behavioral Health Program Supervisor
Bilingual Mental Health Clinician

UCSF Child Trauma Research Program, 2018-2020
Post-Graduate Fellow

Compass Family Services, San Francisco, 2016-2018
Bilingual Therapy Trainee

La Casa de las Madres, San Francisco, 2015
Volunteer

education

University of California, San Francisco,
Post-graduate Fellow with the Child Trauma Research Program, 2020
Trained and rostered provider of Child-Parent Psychotherapy

California School of Professional Psychology (Alliance International University), San Francisco, 2017
M.A. Couples and Family Therapy

California State University, Long Beach, 2009
B.A. Interpersonal and Organizational Communications

certifications

Dialectical Behavior Therapy
PsychWire, 2025

EMDR Basic Training
Sonoma Psychotherapy Training Institute, 2020

Child-Parent Psychotherapy Rostered Provider
UCSF Child Trauma Research Program, 2020

Domestic Violence Counselor
La Casa de Las Madres, 2015