Yamel has a passion for serving adults, children, and families who are Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) who are survivors of Trauma. As a proud Veteran of the Marine Corps.
Are you feeling disconnected, frustrated or overwhelmed? Do you find it a struggle to build close, intimate relationships or to deeply connect to those closest to you? If you are looking to improve the quality of you most important relationships or to feel more skillful in building new relationships, I would look forward to working with you.
I’m a therapist because I believe in the healing strength of being with: Being with our feelings, our present moment experience, and each other. So often, we walk through life feeling alone and disconnected. Therapy is a place for you to unfold and expand into a life that feels more authentic and spacious, a place for you to experience connection and transformation.
Clients who work with me often describe me as warm, thoughtful, and creative. In addition to what you might think of when hear the words “talk therapy,” I also incorporate art, movement, and mindfulness into our sessions. I view my clients and myself as co-collaborators in the therapy process, and work with you to create a space that feels supportive and safe. I take a non-pathologizing approach, honoring the strategies that got you to this moment, and supporting you as you unfold into your authentic self.
In my practice, I work to support individuals struggling with anxiety, body image, disordered eating, relationships, feeling connected to themselves or others, and those feeling stuck in the same patterns to learn skills and feel secure in their lives. My style is warm, authentic, and collaborative with a bit of humor.
I believe we all have the ability to heal and feel secure in our lives and seeking a therapist you connect with is an important step on your path. Reach out to learn more about how I can help.
Getting sick of what's bothering you? Are your thoughts feeling tough to control? Been challenging to unwind, enjoy yourself, or get a good night's sleep? Feeling emotionally lonely, frustrated with family, or disappointed with your friends?
You may be successful professionally and still experience dips in your self-esteem, mood, and energy. Imposter syndrome goes hand in hand with perfectionism, procrastination, and productivity. The irony is you may be working harder than most people around you, and yet feel worse about yourself than they do.
You don't have to keep living like this. Therapy can help you understand how your mind works and optimize accordingly. For example, you can catch self-defeating negative thoughts and reframe them to be more helpful for you through CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy).
You have the right to feel better too.
Licensed Professional Counselor, LPCC (multiple states), CCMHC, BC-TMH
People come to me because they're navigating difficulties with life changes, depression, anxiety—any of a million ways that distress manifests itself in our lives. If I had to say I have a specialty, it's seeing you for the unique person that you are, and meeting you where you are in your struggle. I work with my clients to help discover what issues are causing difficulty or suffering and then to identify the strengths that people have inside of them to help address those challenges.
I see my work as walking a path with you. It’s not my job to tell you which path to take or point you to a different path. My job is to walk alongside of you and point out some of the things you're not noticing. I accompany you down your path instead of telling you where to go.
It's really common for people to think nobody sees them—nobody gets them—and that's my work. To set a safe place for you to be fully you, and to have somebody who sees you. Sees your doubts, your fears, all the things that you feel are flaws, and accepts you for all of that. I truly believe that at our core we're all trying to grow toward our truest self, and my job isn't to tell you what that true self is. It's really to just provide you a space to grow into that, and get out of your way, and support you and help you do it.
Has your relationship become an angry, sad, or scary place leaving you feeling alone, hurt, and discouraged? Are you and your partner feeling lost in conflict cycles you don’t understand and desperately want to change? Many of the couples I work with come to therapy feeling just like you. I understand how much courage it takes to reach out for help and to let another person get inside your relationship, especially when you are feeling so vulnerable. If you are searching for a safe place to explore what's not working in your relationship, and support in creating solutions, I can help. My practice focuses exclusively on couple therapy. In addition to thousands of hours working with couples in distress, I have completed hundreds of hours of clinical training specific to couples therapy, including advanced training in both Emotion Focused Therapy and the Gottman Method Couple Therapy. I am truly passionate about helping couples heal and flourish.
I deeply believe that therapy can be transformative and that meaningful change is possible at any stage of life. I prioritize honoring the authentic self even when life gets messy and emotions are painful. I’m most inspired by the humans that I work with every day that show tremendous resilience and resourcefulness with life’s challenges.
Are you experiencing communication challenges in your relationships? Challenges with sex or intimacy? Are you questioning or exploring gender and sexuality? I am here to support you and offer you tools and a place to process your current experience. I provide a safe space to explore who you are becoming and to discern old thought patterns that are no longer of service. I provide a healing space free of judgement and offer tools that you can immediately integrate into your current experience. I will collaborate with you and work with the intersections of your unique experience.
20 Years Experience
