About me:

What's therapy like with me?

I guess we should get it out of the way: I say bad words, and sometimes I say them a lot, even during therapy *gasp*. Sorry, not sorry! Sometimes, a 4-letter word is the only description that gets the job done when you log onto a therapy session with me. And I like to keep it real when I agree with you that maybe today was “shitty!”. And then, we get to do some work.

Authenticity, compassion, and connection shape my approach to care. As someone who has worked through my own traumatic experiences and mental health challenges, I know safe space is key and that it is created through genuine and compassionate human relationships. My warm, humorous, and accepting qualities have created a safe space for those around me to share, process, and show up authentically. I have applied these qualities for many years, working clinically with children, teens, adults, parents, and families in various settings. It has been a joy to continue my career in private practice, applying my wealth of clinical experience and nurturing characteristics to support individuals, families, and the community.

In my personal life…

I’m a mom to a 3-year-old boy who has a lot of energy and keeps my therapeutic skills in check. I am also a wife, daughter, sister, and friend. I have a dog (George) and a cat (Panda) - you might see them from time to time in our sessions since they enjoy being my officemates. When I am not doing therapy, I enjoy reading, dancing, and traveling.

My impacting identities are...

I am a cis, Latina, heterosexual, first-generation college graduate and a woman! I was Born and raised in La Paz, Bolivia, but I have lived in Montgomery County, MD for over 20 years and am proud to be here. I consider myself spiritual, but I do not follow any organized structure of religion.

It is important to honor the identities we carry with us as they often shape how we move through and interact with the world around us.

Who do I work with?

I’ve spent the majority of my professional experience working with adolescents, parents, and young adults. I really enjoy working with individuals in the 14-25 age range. I work with those navigating anxiety, depression, life transitions, stressors, and trauma.

As we work together, I hope that you'll learn to:

  • Better understand your feelings, both physically and emotionally

  • Connect with yourself on a deeper level

  • Welcome your emotions and ride the wave as you experience them

  • Feel safer within your own body

  • Process uncomfortable thoughts and feelings

  • Give yourself permission to live the life you want (a life worth living)

  • Have rock-solid body awareness and coping strategies

  • Do things in a different, healthier way

  • Live with more confidence and joy

  • Create and Maintain healthier relationships

  • Validate and communicate your emotions

How l keep learning...

I've always considered learning an essential gift and privilege, and the constant challenge to improve through learning feels true to me as one of my core values. I am always actively seeking new opportunities to learn, whether through reading, conversations with peers or supervisors, or by finding new educational experiences. Also, as a social worker, I must complete 40 CEUs yearly to renew my license, which is why I never plan to stop learning.

(Check out my resource tab to get book recommendations)

My education and Certifications

I’m a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Social Work receiving a Master’s Degree in Social Work with a focus on Clinical Behavioral Health. I also earned my Bachelor of Arts in Social Work with a Minor in Sociology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

I am trained and Certified in:

  • Intensively Trained DBT

  • DBT-PE Trained

  • Certified Clinical Trauma Professional Level II: Complex Trauma (CCTP-I&II)

  • Certified Child and Adolescent Trauma Professional (CATP)

  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Certified (DBTC)

  • Certified Clinical Trauma Professional Level II: Complex Trauma (CCTP-II)

  • Crisis Intervention Certified

How do I know we can work together?

I don’t, and I can’t promise we will! There are a lot of great therapists out there, and I like to think I am one of them. But getting it right on the very first try is like walking into the shoe store and finding exactly the right shoe in your size and the color you want. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, isn’t it magic?

The people I’ve found who are that magical fit tend to be highly motivated for change. They recognize that hard work is what’s going to facilitate that change and are ready to take the initiative to get started. They’re sick of being stuck in the same negative patterns and know something needs to change. I am passionate and ready to help clients become unstuck from negativity and their unhealthy patterns.

Are you still unsure if we’d work well together? That’s cool. Please feel free to reach out anyway, and we’ll figure it out!

After learning all this about me, I hope you’re ready to invest in yourself. You are?! Great, me too! I’m so excited to see your transformation, share fun memes with you…and introduce you to my dog and cat; we’ve got a lot of work to do. Let’s get started!

  • A safe space where you can be yourself and express yourself without being judged. I adhere to a trauma-responsive, gender-affirming, and social justice-oriented approach.

  • At the moment, I do not take insurance; however, I am OON and can provide a superbill for you to get reimbursed.

  • Si. My native language is Spanish, and I am fluent in it. I provide therapy, groups, and trainings in Spanish.