DESCRIPTION OF CLINICAL PRACTICE
As a therapist I draw on my experience as a Vipassana meditation practitioner and invite all parts and aspects of my clients into a therapeutic conversation with encouragement to connect with the present moment. Connecting with the present moment allows us to cultivate greater awareness, acceptance and insight in relationship to past and present experiences. As we build new relationships and dialogues with our experience we often find invitations to open doors to new possibilities in our lives. I have extensive experience working with both psychological and mindfulness approaches to support people who experience anxiety, depression and intense inner critics.

VIPASSANA/MEDITATION BACKGROUND
I have been a student of the Dharma since 1996. I have studied and practiced Vipassana (insight) meditation in the United States, India and Burma. Inspired by the teaching of the Buddha I have combined my Vipassana practice with compassionate social actions and have worked extensively with homeless and underrepresented populations, counseled people who are incarcerated, and volunteered with the Zen Hospice Project in San Francisco. I am currently in the teacher training program with Jack Kornfield at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and assist and teach Vipassana retreats at Spirit Rock, the Insight Meditation Society, Cloud Mountain Retreat Center and San Francisco Insight.

RELEVANT CLINICAL TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
While receiving my M.S in Psychology from Cal State East Bay, I worked as a therapist at Haight Ashbury Psychological Services, a non-profit clinic dedicated to serving underrepresented populations. My work there allowed me to fine tune my clinical approaches. Other recent work has included counseling inmates at San Quentin State Prison with the Insight Prison Project and working with parents as a Parent Support Specialist at Apple Family Works. Currently, in addition to seeing clients in San Francisco, I am working as a Therapeutic Behavioral Counselor with at risk children and adolescents in Richmond, CA and I am co-facilitating mindfulness retreats in a Genentech program, South San Francisco.