Human connection, sharing stories of joy and pain, and finding solace within genuine relationships has always been a love and passion of mine. Growing up in Chicago to hard working immigrant parents, I felt the isolation, disconnection, and the confusing nature of being a first-generation kid, and sought a sense of belonging and “normalcy,” within a mostly white US American community. I experienced a deep urgency to “fit in,” hiding and disconnecting more from my Jewish Middle Eastern/ Eastern European background, which led to tendencies I had to learn to unlearn.

Through this, I carried an awareness of social justice that led me to support community activism, involved myself in social work with children with neurodivergence, with an interest in the intersections of mental health and oppression. I found connection and inspiration from queer community advocacy efforts, and became comfortable in belonging in the “not belonging.” Through this work, music and dance inspired much of the work in my healing journey, and I continue to incorporate art and somatic awareness. I found that integrating with parts of ourselves that are suppressed can be rewarding. Whether it’s cultural identity, race, gender and queerness, polyamory, body shape and size, connecting to whatever feels shameful can open a door to embracing a newfound acceptance and power. It’s definitely easier said than done, and I am here for you every step of the way!

I was drawn to this field through the struggles and strengths my community and I have faced, as well as witnessing the inequities in accessing quality mental health care. I am currently a Master’s student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Antioch University Seattle, and gaining a certification in Trauma therapy from Antioch University Seattle. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Evergreen State College in 2018.