I am a first-generation Filipino American who was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. I was schooled in the thought of “work hard and don’t waste time“ by a pair of Filipino immigrants from humble beginnings who succeeded at providing a decent life in the US. My identity was shaped by the experiences of my parents (a father who served in the military and a mother who was an RN learning a new culture) and my own experiences as a first-generation Filipino American. Experiencing the conflict of dueling identities led to feelings of disconnect, loneliness, anxiety, isolation, and a never-ending journey of finding peace within myself. My mission is to reign in my life experience and education in order to be support who can help you achieve your goals through small achievable steps.

I earned my bachelor’s degree in psychology from California State University Long Beach and my Master’s in Social Work Degree from Azusa Pacific University. Throughout my schooling, I was employed at Hillsides in Pasadena for 15 years where I learned first-hand how to be an impactful presence in the lives of young men, women, and families in the foster care system. Soon after my master’s degree, I worked with the birth to five population and their families at the Violence intervention program where I sharpened my clinical tools. Today I am a Licensed Clinical Social worker for the Los Angeles Department of health services on a team serving the needs of those in the justice system.

In my free time, I am a husband, father, and committed dog owner who enjoys spending time with my family, staying in shape, attending sporting events, and learning new things about how to better my community and myself. I have been a DJ for over 25 years in various settings large sporting events, weddings, promotional events, and through this experience I’ve learned how to read a room and provide the right ambiance for the appropriate occasions.

My mission is to create a safe place for my clients to freely express themselves. I utilize a strengths-based systems therapy with a multicultural lens which is transforming at uplifting individuals to empower themselves to find a path towards meeting their needs. I utilize mindfulness exercises and “out of the box” collaborative interventions which are trauma-informed and are needs based. There comes a time in everyone’s life when old ways of being and relating no can become barriers to growth and happiness. It is my intention to be a support as you relearn, refine, and redefine yourself.

Specialties: anxiety panic; grief and loss; trauma; SUD; caregivers; mental illness and psychosis; young adults; LGBTQ+ affirming; stress management; mindfulness meditation; depression; culture shock and immigration; young parents; phobias.