Background

I received my doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Washington, and completed my pre-doctoral internship at the Yale University School of Medicine. While at the University of Washington, I developed Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP), along with my colleagues Dr. Sarah Bowen and Dr. Alan Marlatt, a novel program integrating mindfulness practices with cognitive-behavioral skills in the treatment of problems related to substance use and other addictive behaviors. I have facilitated numerous groups in private and community-based treatment settings and offered training for both clinicians and researchers, in the US and internationally. I have been in private practice for over 10 years and serve as a clinical supervisor for psychology graduate students at the University of Washington.

My initial training consisted of several cognitive and behavioral modalities including Motivational Interviewing, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Functional Analytic Psychotherapy and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. In more recent years, I have integrated my academic training with my learning of attachment theory and somatic approaches to healing, including inner relationship focusing and Internal Family Systems, and integrate these within a cultural and intergenerational framework.

Approach

I believe that difficulty being present with what is uncomfortable and painful in our lives can often create additional suffering. We avoid this discomfort in a multitude of ways that may seem useful in the short run, but tend to hinder our ability to live a full, rich and meaningful life.

The work of therapy is often to learn to be with discomfort in a compassionate way. This is sometimes more easily learned in the context of a genuine, trusting and caring relationship. While a strong therapeutic relationship can create the space for us to be with what is difficult, mindfulness and other somatic practices provide tools for doing this. Bringing this type of compassionate presence to our suffering, can allow us to access our natural capacity for growth and healing, help us make decisions from a wiser place, and feel more fully engaged with our lives.

As a bicultural person, I often have the experience of navigating multiple histories and worlds, and especially enjoy working with people who navigate different cultural realities and the intersections of identity.

Additionally, having trained in several empirically validated cognitive-behavioral interventions, I often integrate these with the above mentioned framework.

Journey

My path towards clinical psychology and mindfulness-based practices originated from a commitment to healing, that is deeper than diagnostic categories and symptom profiles. Mindfulness meditation sparked my initial exploration, and an appreciation for scientific rigor led me to develop skills in bridging research with practical application. My training in cognitive behavioral techniques, allowed me to integrate them with meditation practices, offering a more holistic approach to healing.

In creating the Seattle Mindfulness Center, which is where my private practice is currently housed, I envisioned a community of practitioners who are dedicated to incorporating mindfulness into their work and personal lives. Along the way, I recognized how personal liberation cannot be disentangled from collective liberation, and that healing is incomplete without a thorough understanding of socio cultural and political systems. This has paralleled a deeper understanding of my own cultural and racial identity and how this is reflected in my work.

As mindfulness practices have became mainstream, I have found myself gravitating toward and drawing from a variety of somatic approaches to deepen and further enrich my therapeutic toolkit. Today, my practice reflects an integration of diverse modalities that are offered within the framework of a trusting and compassionate relationship, and are tailored to the unique needs of each client.