As a bisexual woman, I remember coming out to my therapist. I watched him become visibly uncomfortable, and I dropped the subject. At the moment it was easier to hide than to be risk losing the relationships I valued most. However, with time and confiding in people I trusted (including a different therapist), my confidence grew. I learned to love being unapologetically me.

At the heart of good therapy is an environment of safety and trust. For the past 7 years, I’ve been working to create a place where clients can be their authentic selves, where they are accepted and supported. I trained at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, providing low-cost therapy on campus and at community agencies. I developed a special interest and experience in supporting the queer community (particularly transgender and other gender expansive folx), attending LGBTQ+ trainings since 2019. For the past 3 years, I attended the LGBTQ+ Symposium at Santa Clara University to learn how to provide a high quality of care. I am a member of the Gender Identity Awareness Network and Mind the Gap, each centered on supporting gender expansive clients as healthcare providers. I’ve worked with transgender youth in the foster care system, San Luis Obispo County Behavioral Health, Gunn High School, and in private practice settings.