I grew up in Cagayan de Oro in the Southern Philippines and moved to Los Angeles after earning my Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Ateneo de Manila University (go Eagles!). Like many immigrants, I arrived with plans — and life had other ideas.

Instead of going straight to graduate school, I worked in administrative roles for six years. On paper, everything was stable. But internally, I felt unfulfilled. I knew I wanted work that felt meaningful — work that truly impacted lives.

When I discovered Marriage, Family, and Child Therapy, something clicked. Counseling wasn’t common in the Philippines when I was growing up, but I’ve always been someone people turned to for advice and support. I went on to earn my Master’s degree from the University of Phoenix, and that decision changed the trajectory of my life.

Working in domestic violence shelters and community mental health deeply shaped me. I witnessed firsthand how trauma impacts families — and especially how children carry stress they don’t have words for. I saw how cycles repeat when no one slows down to understand them.

Becoming a parent to my two daughters brought this work even closer to home. My own reflections on my childhood relationship with my parents — and the ways it shaped my parenting — led me to specialize in attachment work with families. I understand personally and professionally how our past shows up in our present.

Couples therapy with my husband also transformed the way I see partnership. It taught me what it truly means to work as a team — especially during conflict. That experience deepened my commitment to helping couples move from blame to collaboration.

Today, I help parents and couples slow down the conflict cycle, understand the roots beneath reactions, and build relationships grounded in connection rather than survival.

I believe most parents are doing the best they can with what they know — and when we know better, we do better.

If you’re ready to understand what’s underneath the tension and build a more connected home, I’d be honored to support you.