I grew up on the windward side of Oahu, which instilled in me a deep love of nature and serenity. Upon graduation from Punahou School, I moved to Ithaca, New York, where I began my studies in Human Development at Cornell University. There, I studied child, adolescent and lifespan development while also learning about the power of psychotherapy to bring dramatic healing and change to the people in all stages of life. Inspired by a combination of lay counseling experiences and coursework, decided to become a clinical psychologist and devote my life to walking with people through the hard seasons. I applied and was accepted to the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program at Fuller Graduate School of Psychology in Pasadena, California.

My graduate training consisted of intense psychotherapy training as well as deep discussions on the integration of spirituality and psychotherapy. There, I completed my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, with a concentration in Family, along with a M.A. in Christian Leadership and M.A. in Psychology.

After graduating from Fuller in 2012, I returned to Honolulu and began my postdoctoral residency at Kaiser Permanente, Behavioral Health Services. During my two-year residency, I served hundreds of children and their parents as part of the Child/Adolescent Team, helping kids and teens overcome depression and anxiety and navigate a wide range of social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. I also provided parent coaching and taught positive parenting through the Incredible Years parenting education course. Although my focus was on children and adolescents, I also had the opportunity to work with adults and discovered how much I enjoy working with adults, too.

I received my license to practice psychology independently in 2014, and opened my private practice the following year. Although I was always interested in couples therapy, it wasn’t until I had established practice that I was able to pursue advanced training in Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples. I have since completed my Externship and year-long Core-Skills Training in Emotionally-Focused Therapy. I have participated in over two years of group supervision and am in ongoing individual supervision with an excellent, seasoned, EFT supervisor. I have been working with couples for over 8 years and have also assisted in training other clinicians in EFT.

When I’m not at work I try my best to take care of myself. I enjoy spending time in nature, connecting with family and friends, and relieving stress through creative arts, baking and yoga. I actively pursue spiritual disciplines and faith community that help me become a better person, and a better therapist, too.