Embrace Overall Wellness
"I think that I have always been a very perceptive and sensitive person, but I didn't always see that as a strength." -Jor-El
Why is the work you do for mental health important?
I think that it's extremely important to help people not only cope with mental illness but also to help people embrace overall wellness that helps them optimize their quality of life. As a therapist, I think it's important to hold both the role of educator and provider, teaching clients about emotional health and conditions, if applicable, as well as providing new perspective and skills to help them live better lives in practice. My professional goals are to help promote conversations about mental illness and wellness especially in groups who tend to be underserved by mental health systems, such as people of color and LGBTQ+ folks.
How did you start this work?
I think that I have always been a very perceptive and sensitive person, but I didn't always see that as a strength. It wasn't until I was first introduced to psychology formally in high school, when I enrolled in courses offered by our local community college, that I understood that counseling could be the most natural fit for my personality, interests, and talents. From that moment, I knew that better understanding the mind was a skill that I wanted to develop and use for the rest of my life. Since studying in college, I've been fortunate enough to work in a variety of settings to help support people on their journeys to health and wellness.
What is your approach to self-care?
My approach to mental health self-care is to start simple and small. Sometimes I think that we get in our own way when trying to find very sophisticated things to do to care for ourselves. Sometimes those things are great, but often times when we are feeling depleted already it's hard to do things like meditate or get in rigorous exercise. I think that practicing mindful present-centeredness and doing things like moving your body regularly can go a long way to breaking up the momentum of anxiety or depression.