About
Holding space for others is something I've done for most of my life, long before it was my profession. This work isn't easy. Sitting with people in their hardest moments never is. But witnessing my clients step into their own excellence is a privilege and a gift, and it's why I keep showing up.
How I show up
My approach to therapy is grounded in authenticity and connection. As a Japanese Mexican gay man, I understand the ways culture, identity, family experiences, and social systems can influence how we see ourselves and relate to others. I believe the therapeutic relationship is more than a backdrop for change; it is often one of the places where change begins.
In our work together, I'll offer empathy and validation while also helping you examine the patterns, beliefs, and behaviors that may be keeping you stuck. Sometimes healing starts with feeling understood. Sometimes it requires taking an honest look at what's no longer working. Most often, it involves both.
Why I understand
As the child of an immigrant family, I have personal experience with the challenges that can accompany family separation, cultural identity, acculturative stress, and discrimination. My father's deportation deeply shaped my understanding of ambiguous loss and the lasting impact that systemic and family disruptions can have on a person's emotional well-being. These experiences help me connect with clients who are navigating similar realities and create a space where they feel understood without having to explain every layer of their story.
My experience as a gay man has also influenced the way I approach therapy. Coming out gave me the opportunity to live more authentically and reinforced my belief that people thrive when they are able to align their lives with who they truly are. I bring that perspective into my work, helping clients explore identity, values, relationships, and the barriers that may be keeping them from living as their most authentic selves.
What I believe
Often, what gets people to my office won't take them to their next level. As a songwriter I love puts it: we can't use old keys to open new doors. The patterns that protected you, the strategies that got you this far, they were earned, and they may also be exactly what's ready to be set down.
I believe we are stronger than we know. Sometimes we just need an outside perspective to reflect what's hard to see in ourselves. And my favorite moment in therapy, the one that tells me the work is working, is when a client realizes they've figured out their own way. What I offer until then is simple: I have faith and trust that you can figure it out. And at the very least, we can do it together.
Experience & training
My clinical path has taken me through some of the most demanding and meaningful settings in this field: training with survivors living with HIV at APLA Health, working with children and families in South Central Los Angeles, and serving clients in community mental health and private practice.
Alongside my clinical work, I've spent years in healthcare operations and behavioral health administration. That experience means I understand the systems my clients navigate, from insurance to access to care.
I also provide clinical supervision to associate marriage and family therapists working toward licensure. Learn more here.
The free 15-minute consultation is exactly that: a conversation. No pressure, no commitment, just a chance to see if we're the right fit.
Schedule a Free Consultation Or call (424) 262-2979