I received my undergraduate degree in Linguistics with a concentration in Romance Languages (Spanish, French) and a Minor in Japanese Studies at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD). From there, I lived and worked in Japan for a year and a half and obtained a certificate in Intermediate Japanese from the Kai Japanese School in Tokyo, while teaching conversational English to adolescents and adults. These experiences helped me start my career in international marketing in the technology industry for the next two decades.

After considering where I wanted my career to go next, and knowing that I wanted to exit the corporate world for a more meaningful professional journey, I completed a master’s degree in Marriage & Family Therapy from San Diego State University (SDSU) in 2013. Over the last decade, I have attended numerous continuing education trainings on domestic violence, trauma, yoga and mindfulness as therapeutic practices, and sexuality. I hold the following post-master’s certificates:

• Domestic Violence Counselor from San Diego County
• Latin American Family Therapy from Alliant University Mexico City
• Narrative Therapy & Community Work from Narrative Initiatives San Diego (NISD Counseling)
• Discernment Counseling from the Doherty Relationship Institute (training completed and currently accruing clinical experience)

My therapy credentials include California State licensure by the Board of Behavioral Sciences (MFT License #101243), designation as an AAMFT Clinical Fellow, AAMFT-Approved Supervisor and CAMFT Clinical Fellow.

Leaving the corporate world in 2010 was one of the best professional decisions I have ever made, and I have never looked back.