Education and Background

I hold a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from CSU, Bakersfield and a Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University.

Throughout my clinical training, I have gained extensive experience working with diverse populations and a wide range of mental health challenges. I completed my clinical internship at VA Long Beach Healthcare System, where I provided services to Veterans navigating complex and comorbid clinical presentations like trauma-related stress, depression, anxiety, insomnia, ADHD, a variety of medical conditions, and LGBTQIA+ related-issues.

Following my internship, I completed a Post-Doctoral Residency at VA San Diego Healthcare System, where I received specialized training in trauma-informed care, transgender and gender diverse issues like accessing gender affirmative care, surgery letter writing, gender dysphoria evaluations, and advocacy. In these roles, I facilitated both group and individual sessions focusing on trauma, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills like emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.

As an advocate, I contributed to the national call to promote LGBTQIA+ and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity (DEI) initiatives to promote the health and wellness to minoritized communities, which I achieved through educating providers across different hospitals, facilities, and professional groups.