My journey to becoming a therapist is deeply rooted in my lived experiences and personal healing. My parents and I immigrated from La Habana, Cuba, to South Florida in 1995. While my parents and I were born in La Habana, my mom’s family is from Las Tunas and my dad’s family is from Villa Clara. I’m still doing a lot of my own ancestral work, in order to better understand my family’s roots and cultural history. In the United States, I grew up in the working class; my mom has worked primarily in retail and childcare while my dad’s worked primarily in construction and maintenance.

When I was fifteen years old, I came out to my parents and we went to one session of family therapy together. My dad remembers the therapist saying, “It’s a shame to see such a good family break up ‘cause of this.” While disappointing, this sparked my realization about the power of therapy when done with care, respect, and openness. Over time, my family and I worked through this together and these challenges laid the foundation to my personal values of commitment, autonomy, and chosen family.

My therapy work is also heavily influenced both by the professional and personal growth of my twenties. My experiences working in non-profit social services taught me the values and the dangers of the systems that shape us, and my individual work with various mental health professionals in young adulthood gave me the space to heal inner wounds and gave me the tools to better connect to others. Most recently, a diagnosis of ADHD at 30 years old showed me the importance of self-accommodation, but also the need to challenge societal norms rooted in neurotypicality and capitalism. Most importantly, I have my partner of six years to thank for the ways in which they’ve critically shaped my understanding of accountability and community.

My Approach to Therapy

My work as a therapist is guided by the belief that those who come to therapy are the experts of their own lives. My role is to help you uncover the gifts, strengths, and abilities already within you to navigate challenges and create meaningful change.

I take a systems-centered approach, acknowledging the importance of family (whether chosen, blood, or otherwise), cultural histories, and community in shaping our lives and relationships. Whether working with individuals, couples, or families, I strive to create a space where issues can be resolved, conflicts managed, and autonomy and relational values explored.

I incorporate both my lived experience and professional training into the therapy process. Drawing from strength-based modalities like brief, strategic, narrative, and solution-focused therapies, as well as EMDR and Common Sense Parenting, I aim to provide a flexible and tailored experience. Therapy is not about imposing solutions but about working collaboratively to uncover pathways to healing that align with your unique identity, needs, and goals.

Together, we can build a space for growth, connection, and transformation—one that honors the complexity of your individual experiences and celebrates your inherited resistance.