Why I Became a Therapist
A long-standing interest in cross-cultural psychology drives and informs my work. Growing up in Brooklyn, from an early age I was intensely curious about other cultures near me and how they differed from my own. A creative, sensitive, curious, and introspective child, I was drawn to the performing arts from a young age and spent years training pre-professionally in ballet.
While an undergraduate at Columbia University, I chose to study both Psychology and Anthropology, as I felt that the two disciplines were inseparable; I believe that we cannot truly understand a person’s habits, choices, and patterns of thinking unless we understand where they are situated. A chance encounter with an explosion near Grand Central Station during this time helped me understand the impact of trauma first-hand and sent me down the path of seeking to understand how to heal it as a result.
I view this work as a vocation and believe in keeping therapy accessible. I thrive when getting to the root of an issue and assisting clients to see themselves and others differently; to me, good therapy is both an art and a science. My goal and purpose is to assist in shifting thought patterns that are not helpful and to provide hope and a new outlook to my clients.
As an individual who has always enjoyed learning and deeply values critical thinking, it is important to me that I read and stay up-to-date on research to provide competent, ethical care to my clients; it is extremely important to me that the treatments I provide are systematic and grounded in science and not just passing fads.
My Background
As a second-generation New York City native and the product of a mixed Puerto Rican and Italian American household, I possess a unique level of cultural understanding. While I grew up in Brooklyn, most of my childhood summers were spent in rural northwestern Puerto Rico, where I was immersed in a way of life that was rich in wisdom and tradition and intimately connected to the rhythms and cycles of nature.
I started working at age 15 and have received training, held internships and worked in a variety of roles in different industries and sectors, including hospitality, fitness, education, healthcare, the arts, media, entertainment, and technology. I have been in practice as a licensed psychotherapist since 2017.
My three year period of post-graduate training was completed in an outpatient medical setting in Staten Island, with extensive experience with both adults and children. My orientation is primarily integrative but I believe that the most powerful component of a therapist and client relationship is goodness of fit.
Outside of my work as a therapist I enjoy practicing ballet, singing in a choir, trying new cuisines and thrifting.