Referral Biography
I have a doctorate in counseling psychology and over ten years of experience providing psychological treatment and assessments for adults, teenagers, and children. Much of my practice has involved working with college students and young adults navigating crucial life decisions as they try to understand themselves and their place in the world while juggling relationships, becoming independent, and coping with mental health challenges. My areas of expertise include helping individuals recover from depression, anxiety, phobias, OCD, religious or spiritual conflicts, gender identity struggles, and sexual concerns (particularly LGBTQ+ issues and compulsive sexual behaviors). Additionally, I specialize in psychological testing to help clarify diagnoses and create personalized treatment plans.
I was born in Santiago, Chile, but spent much of my childhood in Venezuela and the United States until we moved back to Chile, where I finished high school and started college. I completed my undergraduate and graduate studies in the United States. Currently, I live in Utah, where I have resided for over twenty years, with some extended visits to South America. I grew up speaking English and Spanish and regularly provide therapy and conduct assessments in both languages.
I am trained in various treatment modalities, though my favorites tend to be Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Rational Emotional Behavioral Therapy (REBT), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). ACT is an empirically based approach to dealing with emotional struggles through acceptance and value-driven action. REBT and CBT focus on treating mental illness through behavioral and cognitive principles. I am also open to getting training in or refreshing my skills in using other approaches if they are helpful for a particular case. Regardless of the theoretical approach, my main goal is to provide personalized treatment.
I love accompanying and facilitating people’s journey as they work to find meaning, engagement, and connection. I have had the opportunity to grow up in many different places and experience diverse cultures. Working with thousands of people from various parts of the world has shown me the breadth of amazing things people have to share. I have also witnessed many of the challenges individuals face in moving past the hurt they have experienced and the unhelpful ways they have been taught to think, act, and relate to others. Suffering, apathy, and pain arise from a combination of what happens to us (which is often beyond our control) and our way of thinking, beliefs, experiences, memories, biology, and genetics. While much of what causes emotions is not a person’s fault, the individual is often the only one who can cause meaningful change in any of these areas.
In our sessions, I aim to create a space where you can step back and observe everything that shapes your experience, helping you explore new ways of thinking about and engaging with your struggles.
Utah Psychological Association