Glad You Made It Here

My name is Stephanie (she/her), and everything I do in my practice is rooted in a simple, profound belief: that you are the expert of your own life, and my role is to offer a skilled, compassionate space where you can remember that truth.

On my landing page, I introduced myself as a Fat Liberation Therapist and Brainspotting Practitioner. Here, I’d like to share a bit more about what that truly means and the journey that led me to this work.

My Journey to This Work

My identity as a queer, first-generation daughter of immigrants isn’t just a bullet point in my bio—it’s the foundation of my empathy. I understand firsthand the unique pressures of navigating my culture, carrying unspoken family stories, and feeling the weight of "making it" while trying to heal from the inside out. I've seen how generational trauma and systemic oppression can lodge themselves not just in our minds, but in our very bodies.

It was this understanding that drew me to an integrative approach, one that honors the power of both insight and somatic release. While exploring your story through talk therapy is a vital part of healing, I found that we sometimes need tools to go beyond words to access the parts of our experience that language alone can't reach. This is why I am a dedicated Brainspotting Practitioner. I weave this powerful, somatic method into our work to help you access and release the trauma, anxiety, and shame that your nervous system has been holding onto, often for years.

Personalized Therapy

I don't believe healing is a choice between talking and somatic work - so I don't make you choose. I blend talk therapy with Brainspotting to create a path that honors your whole experience.

Continuous Support

Integrative talk therapy

We’ll explore the patterns, stories, and beliefs that have shaped your world — including the ones you inherited without asking for them.

A New Approach

Brainspotting

A somatic method that gently processes trauma stored in the body, reaching the deep nervous system roots that words alone can’t always touch. It’s not hypnosis, and you’re always in control. It’s just a way of going somewhere deeper, together.

Holistic Approaches

Culturally responsive care

Your culture, your family dynamics, your community — all of it is context, not background noise. I work from that context, not around it.

Where Mental Health & Your Interest Meet

Anime & Gaming Informed

If your interests are part of how you process the world, they’re welcome here. We can use them as a bridge into the work, or just let them be part of who you are in this space.

My clients tend to have a few things in common

BIPOC adults and teens navigating generational trauma and the pressure to hold everything together
Latine and immigrant-family folks carrying stories that were never theirs to carry alone

Queer and trans individuals who are tired of having to prove their identities before therapy can begin
Neurodivergent people who’ve been told they’re “too much” or “not trying hard enough”

First-gen professionals experiencing burnout, imposter syndrome, and rest guilt
People who have a complicated relationship with their bodies and are ready to stop fighting them

Parents who want to support their teens — and maybe do their own healing along the way
Anyone who has felt othered for loving anime, games, or anything the world labeled as “nerd stuff”

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) — California #96929

Licensed Clinical Social Worker — Colorado CSW #09929447

Licensed Clinical Social Worker — Connecticut LCSW #16805

Cal State Channel Islands, BA in Sociology, Minor in Psychology

Cal State Northridge, MSW