Meet Jennifer

Choosing a therapist is a very personal decision and you often won’t know until your first face-to-face encounter if it is a good fit. I hope that you find some of this information useful in your search.

I am a Bay Area native, born and raised in Burlingame, California. My mother was 1 of 12 children, my father 1 of 5. To say that I am no stranger to the joys and complexities of large families is an understatement. Healers are part of my family’s legacy. My grandmother was a Peruvian “curandera.” I was told stories of people traveling great distances for her non-traditional treatments and herbal remedies. My mother followed suit, providing counseling and human services to families in her community. Known by her clients as “la trabajadora de milagros,” the miracle worker, when she wasn’t raising 5 children and working, she was singing Peruvian ballads and dancing to salsa music in our kitchen. These two strong role models heavily influenced my internal tapestry with what I call “inside gifts.” When I am not working or spending time with my children and family, I can be found in my garden, singing with a local community chorus, taking dance or yoga classes, or walking in nature with my dog.

I received my BA in Sociology from UC Berkeley in 1989 and during my last year in college, volunteered for a domestic violence crisis line. This experience landed me a job as a bilingual counselor at a shelter for battered women right after college, and my interest in the generational impact of trauma on children and families took root. I pursued my graduate MSW degree with a specialization in families, individuals, and groups from UC Berkeley in 1993. I interned at Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute/UCSF and received intensive, post-graduate training in play therapy and family systems at Eastfield Ming Quong, a residential program for severely emotionally disturbed children. I transitioned to medical settings to broaden my skills working at local hospitals. My hospital-based work sparked my interest in the mind-body connection. This led me to seek out and receive specialty training in biofeedback, clinical hypnosis, cognitive behavioral therapy, internal family systems and multiple body-based modalities for treating traumatic stress, including EMDR, Flash, and AF-EMDR.

Working within hospital settings for most of my adult life has given me an interesting perspective. Western Medicine certainly has its benefits, but it also has significant limitations. My own personal health journey with chronic fatigue syndrome and a compromised immune system after the birth of my 3rd child, showed me first-hand the value of functional and integrative medicine. Please see my Community Partners section for a list of phenomenal providers who can offer services that complement psychological support, including acupuncture for mental health, chiropractic care, naturopathic medicine, neurofeedback, nutrition and yoga.

My practice is rooted in the belief that despite how overwhelming life can be, there is hope and healing is possible. I use an integrative mind-body approach with my clients to repair hurts within themselves and their relationships. My tools are eclectic, trauma-informed and heavily influenced by attachment theory and advances in neuroscience. The brain is neuroplastic, or wired to change, and small intentional shifts can lead to profound growth. I believe that people, even young children, have the natural resources to make positive changes in their lives and recover from difficult experiences. I also believe that change occurs when individuals tap into their resources, gain new insights, and ways of coping. The focus is not on “getting rid” of thoughts, feelings, or body sensations, but understanding them, at times expecting them, and—for both children and adults– learning how to manage them.  With traumatic material, releasing what has been stored in the body for years can feel like a heavy weight has been lifted. I am deeply committed to providing care that is client-focused, compassionate, evidence-based, and personally customized.

Clients have shared that my style is warm and supportive. I offer a free 15-minute consultation appointment where we can talk further about your needs and particular situation. Thank you for reaching out. It takes courage to take this first step.

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