I see myself as a lifetime learner—a student of psychology and the human condition, with a value of “kaizen”, which is a Japanese word for continuous improvement. Through education, self-reflection, and feedback, I work towards improving upon how I show up as a human being, in various life domains, and as a helping professional. I’m also committed to caring, connecting, and contributing to people’s lives in ways that support their wellbeing and alleviate suffering. Much of my personal growth has occurred in the context of observing how I get hooked by my own painful thoughts and feelings while increasingly cultivating psychological flexibility to more effectively navigate such experiences. I’m still learning…

Professionally, I’m a psychotherapist and internationally recognized trainer in the field of psychology. I became a peer-reviewed trainer in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) in 2016, for which I also served as chair of the training committee from 2022-2025. In 2025, I was deeply honored to be elected into the ACBS Fellowship for my contributions in ACT dissemination.

I’m a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, with private practices in both California and Virginia (United States), working with individuals and couples. I also have extensive experience in facilitating skill-building and process-based groups. I specialize in therapy for intimate partners and the treatment of anxiety disorders, and I’m a member of the International OCD Foundation. I’ve worked as a psychotherapist in a variety of settings, including county-operated crisis intervention services with underserved populations; a mental health and substance abuse intensive outpatient program at Kaiser Permanente that I subsequently managed; and an integrative medicine program at Sutter Health.

I have taught mindfulness meditation to health care practitioners and facilitated over one hundred training events on ACT and its underpinnings, as well as co-created courses on nutritional psychology and integrative mental health treatment.  I’ve also provided supervision to other behavioral/mental health professionals and students and continue to provide individual and group consultation on ACT.

I earned my Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, with a specialization in Holistic Studies from Lesley University, Cambridge, MA, following a career as a professional musician. Music was, and still is, an important part of my life, especially songwriting. I also enjoy walking, hiking, and sharing fun/meaningful moments with my family.