About Grace
Hi, I’m a clinical psychologist licensed in the states of California and Iowa. I have specialized experience working with culturally diverse adults struggling with PTSD, anxiety, depression, shame, and relationship difficulties. Moreover, I have a subspecialty treating mental health symptoms influenced by women specific issues, such as postpartum depression, menopause, gender role challenges, and body image concerns.
I also help couples who want to develop deeper intimacy, increase emotional safety, and communicate more effectively with one another.
Overall, my passion lies in helping people 1) address shame by cultivating self-compassion, 2) develop healthy relationship boundaries, and 3) live a values-based lifestyle.
In all my work, I prioritize creating a space of radical acceptance and safety for individuals to examine their lives honestly and accurately. I am confident that radically genuine living is a life worth living, and I strive to help patients develop an inner haven through which they can live unapologetically as their true selves.
For people that are hesitant to try therapy, what do you wish you could tell them?
Welcome to the journey of taking good care of yourself! In the initial few sessions, you will discuss your concerns and goals with your therapist. Your therapist will support you in examining and developing a deeper understanding of the goals that initially brought you into therapy and you will collaboratively develop a treatment plan to address your needs. Your therapist will walk with you every step of the way and help you in your investment of self-growth.
What's your experience with clients with trauma or abuse?
Traumatic experiences greatly impact your understanding of safety, trust, intimacy, control, and self-esteem. As a result, you may struggle to maintain healthy relationships and find yourself in a cycle of shame and emotional disconnect. Through therapy, you can understand your triggers and ineffective patterns with compassion and learn to relate with yourself and others in a more balanced manner. You will also develop skills to reduce anxiety, manage emotions, and attain peace.
What's your experience with relationship counseling?
Cultivating healthy boundaries and communicating assertively is crucial to having peaceful relationships, self-respect, and achieving the goals you set for yourself. If you find yourself feeling resentful and exhausted due to taking on emotional responsibility for others and rarely getting your needs met, therapy can help you better balance your needs and those of others, so you can feel freer and happier.
What's your experience with clients with stress?
As a high achiever, you may find yourself bogged down by perfectionism - the unattainable - which leaves you disappointed, feeling down, and stuck. Perhaps you feel discouraged by the critical voices that impact your ability to perform at your greatest capacity. By developing self-compassion and confidence, you can more effectively tackle your responsibilities and take better care of yourself while working in a high stress profession.
What's your experience with clients with women's issues?
Women’s reproductive health and the unique societal pressures women face can greatly impact your emotions, ambitions, and confidence. You may be stressed by the demands of being a mom or struggle with managing emotions influenced by perinatal and postpartum hormones. Perhaps you are burdened by challenges you face as a professional, working woman, such as harassment, discrimination, and undermining. At Inner Haven Psychology, you can carve out a safe space to examine your needs, develop strategies to assert your voice, and give yourself the emotional safety and acceptance you long for.
Interested in talking?
(714) 494-6990Specialties
Anxiety
Depression
Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD)
Racial Identity
Approaches
Acceptance and Commitment (ACT)
Attachment-based
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Cognitive Processing (CPT)
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)