Individual Therapy for Young People of Color Healing from Trauma and Substance Misuse
Telehealth in Colorado and PSYPACT Participating States
Navigating Life’s Challenges with Support and Understanding
Growing up in today’s world can be overwhelming—especially if you’re carrying the weight of family and social expectations, stigma, peer pressure, social comparisons, and/or unprocessed trauma. You might have thought to yourself at some point (or many points):
What’s wrong with me?
Why do I keep doing this?
Why can’t I just feel normal?
Is it me? Or is it everyone else?
How do I keep finding myself here over and over?
I’m never going to be good enough.
I don’t want to feel like this anymore.
Whether you’re struggling with substance use, trauma, anxiety, depression, or feeling disconnected from yourself or the world around you, individual therapy offers a supportive space to explore what’s really going on beneath the surface and move you toward the kind of life you want to live.
When is the Time Right for Therapy?
You’re tired of pretending everything is fine when it’s not.
You feel misunderstood, isolated, or like you don’t quite fit in.
You’re find yourself using drugs, social media, or other distractions so you don’t have to deal with life’s stuff.
You feel pressure to succeed but struggle with motivation or self-doubt.
You find yourself stuck in the same patterns of behavior or cycles of reacting, and you’re having a hard time breaking out of it.
You know there’s stuff from your past that’s holding you back and needs healing but don’t know where to start.
You feel like you can’t talk to the people in your life about how you’ve been feeling or what you’ve been coping with because you’re afraid they either won’t understand or tell you it’s not that serious.
You’re sick and tired of feeling sick and tired.
How Can Individual Therapy Help?
My approach is person-centered and strengths-based at it’s core. I meet each client where they’re at and work collaboratively to determine what changes they want to make. I carefully considers each client’s unique concerns and circumstances to craft an approach that is personalized to fit their needs, goals, and life circumstances. Humans are complex and therapy is not a one-size-fits-all.
You are the expert of your own life—you are the captain of the ship; I'm just helping you sail it and get where you want to go.
My therapeutic approach is an integration of the following evidence-based treatment modalities:
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Our past experiences—especially those from childhood and family relationships—shape how we see ourselves, connect with others, and respond to challenges. Psychodynamic Psychotherapy helps uncover the unconscious patterns, beliefs, and emotional wounds that may be influencing your thoughts, behaviors, and relationships today.
In individual therapy, psychodynamic work helps by:
Exploring Root Causes of Emotional Struggles – Anxiety, depression, and self-doubt don’t appear out of nowhere. By looking at past experiences, we can understand how early relationships and unresolved emotions impact your current well-being.
Recognizing Unconscious Patterns – Many people repeat the same emotional or relational patterns without realizing it. Therapy helps bring these cycles into awareness so you can break free from them.
Processing Unspoken or Suppressed Emotions – If you’ve learned to push down emotions (due to family expectations or cultural stigma), therapy provides a safe space to explore what’s been left unspoken.
Developing Self-Awareness and Emotional Insight – The more you understand yourself—your needs, fears, and emotional responses—the more control you have over your choices and relationships.
Rather than focusing only on surface-level symptoms, psychodynamic therapy helps you gain deeper insight, heal from the past, and create lasting change.
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps you stop fighting your thoughts and feelings—and instead, learn to work with them.
ACT in individual therapy helps by:
Shifting from Control to Acceptance – Instead of trying to “fix” or suppress difficult emotions, ACT teaches you how to make space for them without letting them control you.
Developing Psychological Flexibility – Life is unpredictable, and rigid thinking can keep you stuck. ACT helps you adapt, grow, and respond to challenges with openness rather than fear.
Clarifying Your Values – What kind of person do you want to be? What truly matters to you? ACT helps you align your actions with your deepest values, even when emotions feel overwhelming.
Building a Different Relationship with Your Thoughts – Instead of getting caught in loops of self-judgment or worry, ACT teaches mindfulness-based skills to observe thoughts without being controlled by them.
With ACT, therapy becomes less about getting rid of emotions and more about learning how to live fully, even when emotions are present.
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At the core of many struggles—whether it’s anxiety, depression, or relationship issues—is an unmet need for emotional security and connection. Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT) helps you explore the emotions underlying your struggles, strengthen your sense of self, and develop healthier relationships.
In individual therapy, EFIT helps by:
Recognizing Emotional Wounds That Still Affect You – Maybe you’ve learned to be “strong” by suppressing emotions. Maybe past relationships have made it hard to trust others. EFIT helps you process these experiences with self-compassion.
Healing Attachment Wounds – If you’ve felt abandoned, unseen, or emotionally neglected, therapy provides a safe space to explore these wounds and develop healthier emotional responses.
Transforming Fear and Shame into Self-Compassion – Many people struggle with deep-seated self-criticism. EFIT helps you shift from self-blame to self-acceptance.
Strengthening Your Ability to Connect With Others – Emotional healing isn’t just about individual change—it’s about how you relate to others. EFIT helps you cultivate more secure, fulfilling relationships.
With EFIT, therapy isn’t just about understanding emotions—it’s about transforming how you experience and express them, leading to deeper healing and connection.
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Sometimes, talk therapy alone isn’t enough to process deep trauma or emotional pain. Brainspotting is a powerful, brain-body therapy that helps access and heal trauma stored in the nervous system.
In individual therapy, Brainspotting helps by:
Going Beyond Words – Trauma often lives in the body, not just the mind. Brainspotting works by identifying where emotional distress is stored and helping the brain process it on a deep, physiological level.
Accessing Subconscious Healing Mechanisms – By using eye positions to access deeper parts of the brain, Brainspotting helps release trauma, anxiety, and emotional pain that may feel “stuck.”
Reducing Emotional Overwhelm – Rather than reliving painful memories, Brainspotting allows your brain to process emotions safely and at your own pace.
Improving Emotional Regulation – Many people experience emotional dysregulation due to trauma. Brainspotting helps rewire these responses so that triggers feel less overwhelming over time.
Brainspotting isn’t just about talking through trauma—it’s about helping your brain heal in a way that feels safe and natural.
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Therapy isn’t just about individual mental health—it’s about navigating identity, cultural expectations and values, and the weight of intergenerational narratives. Multicultural Therapy and Liberation Psychology acknowledges the complex layers of cultural, historical, and sociopolitical factors affecting your mental health. It provides a space where your full identity is seen, honored, and integrated into your healing journey.
In individual therapy, this approach helps by:
Validating Cultural and Racial Experiences – Therapy isn’t about forcing Western ideals onto healing. It’s about acknowledging the impact of culture, family values, and systemic oppression on mental health.
Navigating Bicultural or Intergenerational Struggles – Many second-generation immigrants feel caught between two worlds—not American enough, not Asian enough, not “enough” at all. Therapy helps you process these identity conflicts with clarity and self-acceptance.
Addressing Emotionality Stigma in BIPOC Communities – If you’ve been taught that emotions are weakness, therapy helps you reclaim your right to feel and heal.
Honoring Collective and Individual Identity – Many cultures emphasize family duty, sacrifice, and emotional self-control. Therapy helps you balance cultural values with your personal well-being, so you don’t feel forced to choose between them.
Multicultural therapy is about embracing who you are while healing from the pressures of cultural and societal expectations.
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At its core, Buddhist Philosophy teaches that suffering is part of life—but it also provides a path to liberation through mindfulness, self-awareness, and compassion. Therapy that integrates Buddhist philosophy helps you navigate emotional pain with greater wisdom and ease.
In individual therapy, this approach helps by:
Embracing Impermanence and Change – Many struggles stem from trying to control the uncontrollable. Buddhist-informed therapy helps you accept life’s natural changes rather than resisting them.
Cultivating Mindfulness and Presence – Instead of getting lost in overthinking or regret, therapy teaches you how to stay present and engaged with life as it unfolds.
Letting Go of Unhelpful Attachments – Whether it’s past relationships, unrealistic expectations, or self-judgment, therapy helps you release what no longer serves you.
Developing Self-Compassion – Many people struggle with inner criticism. Buddhist-informed therapy teaches loving-kindness practices to help you treat yourself with more care and understanding.
By integrating Buddhist wisdom with evidence-based therapy, this approach helps you find clarity, balance, and inner peace—no matter what challenges arise.
Areas of Specialty
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Adolescents and young adults grappling with substance misuse often face multifaceted challenges that intersect with other mental health concerns such as trauma, depression, anxiety, and ADHD. Substance use may act as a coping mechanism for emotional pain, unresolved trauma, or unmet needs.
Moreover, seeking help for substance-related concerns can be particularly challenging for individuals from immigrant families where cultural values and stigma can complicate open conversations about addiction and mental health. Families may face additional barriers, such as fear of judgment or misunderstanding, which can create tension and further feelings of isolation.
Addressing substance use requires more than just focusing on the behavior itself—it involves exploring the underlying factors that contribute to it. Therapy helps individuals develop healthier coping strategies, understand their triggers, and build a life that aligns with their values. Therapeutic approaches that integrate evidence-based practices such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), harm reduction strategies, and emotionally focused therapy can address the root causes of substance use, while developing tools to cope with cravings, triggers, and difficult emotions that arise in recovery. Through this process, clients can rebuild trust, repair relationships, and work toward a meaningful, sustainable recovery.
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Trauma, whether acute or complex, often co-occurs with other mental health concerns, such as substance misuse, depression, and anxiety. Adolescents and young adults who experience trauma may struggle with emotional dysregulation, disconnection, and a pervasive sense of unsafety. For those from marginalized communities, systemic oppression and cultural factors may compound these experiences.
Therapy provides a space to process these experiences, restore a sense of safety, and develop tools for resilience. Culturally responsive, trauma-informed care acknowledges the unique ways trauma may intersect with cultural identity, systemic oppression, or intergenerational dynamics. Specialized trauma-informed care, utilizing Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Brainspotting, and Emotionally Focused Therapy can help individuals reconnect with their emotions, make sense of their experiences, and move toward healing. By recognizing the interconnectedness of trauma and other struggles, treatment can restore a sense of safety, connection, and empowerment while addressing the unique cultural context of each client’s experience.
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For adolescents and young adults, depression can feel isolating and all-encompassing. It often manifests as persistent feelings of hopelessness, low energy, difficulty concentrating, or withdrawing from relationships. Depression can affect every aspect of life, including school, work, and personal connections, often leaving individuals feeling misunderstood or stuck. Depression in adolescents and young adults often intersects with anxiety, trauma, ADHD, or substance misuse, creating a complex web of challenges.
Therapy offers a space to explore these feelings and identify unhelpful thought patterns that contribute to depression. It can help clients to connect with their values, develop practical coping tools, and foster self-compassion. Therapy can also addresses co-occurring challenges, such as trauma, anxiety, and ADHD, that may be coinciding with and amplifying the effects of depression. By focusing on building resilience and emotional understanding, therapy supports young people in finding hope and rediscovering joy in their lives.
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Anxiety is a common challenge for adolescents and young adults, often presenting as excessive worry, perfectionism, social discomfort, or avoidance. It can interfere with academics, relationships, and daily functioning, leaving individuals feeling stuck or overwhelmed. Perfectionism, excessive worry, and avoidance can often reflect deeper struggles with emotion regulation, attachment, or identity.
Therapy helps individuals identify and understand their anxiety triggers while developing tools to manage these feelings. Therapeutic techniques such as ACT, mindfulness, and exposure-based strategies empower clients to confront their fears, tolerate uncertainty, and shift their relationship with anxious thoughts and feelings. Therapy also explores the intersection of anxiety with other concerns, such as trauma, depression, or cultural stressors, to provide a more comprehensive approach. By creating a supportive and collaborative space, therapy helps individuals build confidence, resilience, and emotional regulation skills.
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Adolescents and young adults with ADHD often navigate challenges related to focus, impulsivity, emotional regulation, and time management. These difficulties can intersect with other mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, trauma, and substance misuse. There is a strong relationship between untreated ADHD and substance misuse, as young people may learn to self-medicate to manage overwhelming symptoms, further complicating academic achievement, relationships, self-esteem, and daily functioning.
Therapy that embraces neurodivergence can help clients better understand their unique strengths and challenges while providing practical tools to manage the challenges they face. Through evidence-based approaches like behavioral strategies, mindfulness, and self-compassion practices, clients can learn to manage ADHD symptoms and build self-acceptance and -compassion. Parent coaching is also available to support families in fostering environments that promote success and understanding.
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Adolescents and young adults from marginalized communities often navigate the intersection of systemic oppression, cultural stigma, and identity conflicts, which can exacerbate mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, and trauma. Navigating systemic challenges such as racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, and other forms of discrimination can take a toll on emotional well-being and can create feelings of invisibility, alienation, or internalized shame.
Therapy that centers cultural understanding and responsiveness can provide a safe space to explore these experiences and their impact on mental health. Addressing the intersection of cultural identity and systemic pressures can help individuals process feelings of exclusion, build self-worth, and develop strategies to manage and thrive despite adversity. Therapy can also guide clients in exploring their values and strengths, fostering resilience, and finding empowerment in their unique identities and lived experiences.
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Adolescents and young adults who live between cultures—whether as immigrants, refugees, or children of immigrants—often face unique identity struggles and can create challenges around belonging, self-definition, and balancing family expectations with individual goals.
Therapy can provide a supportive space to explore these experiences, helping individuals process feelings of cultural disconnection, intergenerational conflict, or identity confusion. With a focus on fostering self-acceptance and confidence, therapy can empower clients to navigate the complexities of living between cultures while finding strength in their multicultural identities. Therapy also addresses related challenges, such as discrimination, family pressures, or identity confusion, fostering confidence and clarity in navigating these complexities. Clients can also work through intergenerational dynamics, creating new paths for understanding and growth between family members.
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Early relational experiences deeply influence how adolescents and young adults form connections and navigate emotions. Attachment injuries—stemming from inconsistent caregiving, neglect, or relational trauma—can manifest as difficulty trusting others, emotional avoidance, or fear of rejection in relationships.
Therapy provides a space to identify and heal these relational patterns. Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and mindfulness-based approaches help individuals develop healthier ways of connecting, rebuild trust, and work through fears of intimacy or vulnerability. Addressing attachment injuries also strengthens emotional regulation, offering young people the tools to foster secure and fulfilling relationships in the future.
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Parenting a teenager who is struggling with substance use can be uniquely challenging and often feels overwhelming, isolating, and stigmatizing. Many parents experience shame, guilt, or fear of judgment from others who may not understand the complexities of substance use in teens. They may feel blamed for their child’s struggles or worry they are failing as parents.
Therapeutic parent coaching provides a compassionate and nonjudgmental space to navigate these challenges. It focuses on helping parents understand the factors contributing to their teen’s substance use, such as underlying trauma, mental health concerns, or peer influences. Coaching also equips parents with effective strategies and tools to create a supportive home environment that promotes recovery.
By focusing on strengthening the parent-child relationship and addressing patterns of conflict or misunderstanding, parent coaching fosters trust, connection, and collaboration. It also provides parents with the emotional support they need to manage their own stress and cope with feelings of stigma or isolation. With the right guidance, parents can play a crucial role in their teen’s recovery journey while building resilience for their family as a whole.