Change is not meant to be easy - that is why in order for it to be permanent, it must be catastrophic, permanent and often times requires discomfort and humility. It can be difficult to take the first step but living with stress anxiety and depression can be unbearable. Therapists can provide support, problem-solving skills, and enhanced coping strategies for issues such as depression, anxiety, relationship troubles, unresolved childhood issues, grief, stress management, body image issues and creative blocks. Many people also find that counselors can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, family concerns, marriage issues, and the hassles of daily life. Therapists can provide a fresh perspective on a difficult problem or point you in the direction of a solution. The benefits you obtain from therapy depend on how well you use the process and put into practice what you learn. 

Not every intervention was made for every client. That is why engagement is so important....the therapeutic relationship is the cornerstone of successful therapy - authenticity, empathy and humor help the client feel comfortable; bringing a humanistic approach into each session.
 
When I am in session, I am enacting my spiritual, professional, and cultural purpose. I am culturally responsive to individuals who emerge from these spaces, as I understand and they see themselves validated. I think the strongest part of my work is that I am authentic in how I show up; I approach my work with a realness that reaches the clients I serve. In my spare time, I study alternative healing practices like reiki and energy and chakra balancing.
 
My cultural, linguistic, and gendered experiences help in my understanding of the cultural norms, roles, expectations, and life complexities of my clients. The core values that inform my work and life include the following: Commitment to the needs and lives of my clients; integrity as the center driving the ethic of the work I do; nuanced appreciation for deep listening and the ways in which intersecting facets of a person’s life reveal themselves and work to impact their situation; genuine care for the people and their lives; an approach that harnesses a client’s strengths as a tool for their restoration and cultivation of life habits in ways that are aligned and accessible with their lives; and attention to the ways in which we can celebrate, lift up, and amplify growth and accomplishment as a resiliency practice.

Some of the benefits available from therapy include:
> Recognizing that it didn't start with you
> Understanding how thoughts affect your behavior
> Learning how to change your thoughts not control them;
> Developing self reliance;
> Identifying strategies to better manage stress and changes in life;
> Improve communication skills and learn how and when to ask for help (and when to set boundaries);
> Improving your self-esteem and boosting self-confidence;
> Bilingual, bicultural support; and
> A mirror ... and lastly an;
> Opportunity to “change your story.”