Coaches

Hailing from San Bernardino, CA, Abigail is a young organizer that is deeply passionate about using her voice to amplify the needs of young people. With special interests in areas such as Mass-incarceration and Prison-to Pipeline Dilemmas, she is fueled with dedication and drive to stir up change in her community. Abigail has most recently served as a Resident Advisor, Early Academic Outreach College Advisor in Southeast San Diego, and in the past she served as the Lead Media & Communication Intern at CURB (Californian’s for a Responsible Budget), where she was able to sharpen her skills around writing opinion editorials, curate social media content, and weigh in on the plans of CURB to close prisons across California. A recent graduate at University of California, San Diego with a Bachelors in Psychology and minor in Global Health, she hopes to work to end stigmas around mental health and encourage care in her community. During her time in her Undergraduate career she served as a UC Advocate and Campus Leader. Abigail now plans to spend much of her time working at Urban Restorations Counseling Center to serve as an Intern working directly with community members in search of mental health resources to better themselves.

I am working towards obtaining my masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Capella University. My long term goal is to become a licensed marriage and family therapist and specialize in working with marginalized communities, particularly LGBTQIA+ individuals and couples. In our work together, you are in the driver’s seat and I am the passenger helping you with the GPS. I may have to grab hold of the wheel at times if you’re having difficulty keeping your eyes on the road and that is okay. But at the end of the day, YOU are in the driver’s seat of your own life. You may not have had the opportunity yet to believe that. You may not have found your voice yet to believe that. My role is to help you feel empowered in your life to believe that you are indeed in the driver’s seat. My role is to help you learn how to be a safe driver. My role is to hold you accountable to be a safe driver until you can do that for yourself. And you CAN. You are capable. My therapeutic style is collaborative. This is your journey and you are the expert of your own life. Let’s work together to figure out what has worked and what has not worked. Let’s work together to uncover those beautiful strengths you already have. Let’s work together to unpack generational trauma and circumstances that brought you to where you are today. Let’s work together so you can create change in your life. You are capable of seeing the change you wish to see in your life, and I’ll be here to support you through this journey you are about to embark on. This space is nonjudgmental, safe, LGBTQIA+ affirming, and culturally sensitive. I look forward to working with you.

With so much to navigate in our daily lives, I understand the difficulties of figuring out how to tend to our personal needs—where to start, or how to go from there. It’s my utmost priority to provide a safe and collaborative space for those also in search of their next step As a Bachelor of Social Work student, I am committed to advancing equitable opportunity and quality care for all individuals. I especially hope to speak with BIPOC women and those identifying as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, so that I may provide insight toward best amplifying your voice and reclaiming your autonomy.

I am a Bachelors of Social Work student. My goal as a case manager intern here at URCC is to provide my community with any resources they need to improve their quality of life including but not limited to: mental health care, housing programs, health clinics, and immigrant and refugee services. I pledge to listen to my clients' concerns with empathy, and to do diligent research to find the best resources for them.

In life, we may face challenges that take a toll on our personal well-being and distract us from reaching our personal goals, but seeking therapy is a great start to assess those challenges and make the appropriate changes. Therapy is useful to improve self-esteem, strengthen relationships, and have a positive outlook on life. My primary goal as a clinician is to provide a safe, non-judgmental environment, where my clients can discuss any issues that may arise. Also, I would like my clients to be able to depend on me to provide specific modalities that can cater to their situation. In addition, I would like my clients to feel motivated and empowered to make changes and improve their lives for the better. Thank you for taking the time to read this introduction and I look forward to supporting you through this journey as showing up consistently is imperative for growth and development.

Seeking help through counseling can be one of the best decisions of a person’s life. While you may have conflicting emotions, I welcome you here and congratulate you on taking the first steps towards accomplishing meaningful change in your life. I am here to help you heal. Each person’s journey is different, but I will walk with you each step of the way. Here, you will have a safe space to work through, pain, trauma, depression, anxiety, and more. My approach to therapy is honest but gentle - I encourage you to be your true self, even if it’s for the first time. We will work together towards your goals, learning more and more along the way. We can integrate as much or as little of your life as you like - mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually. We will work on the interactions between thoughts and emotions while learning helpful skills to make life more livable. Healing is waiting for you.

It's my first year as a graduate student working towards my Social Work degree. I'm an MSW student from California State University San Marcos interning at URCC. At the moment I'm doing case management and fundraising. I'm so excited to be part of this amazing organization and achieve my goal of helping the community.

Therapy is a collaborative environment where communication is key. I am interested in empowering couples, families, and individuals to overcome personal obstacles, find confidence, and improve empowerment strategies. My approach during this productive exploration is being intentional and being fully present within a supportive environment. I strive to bring an effective blend of experience, clarity, concern, and curiosity to the counseling process to maximize outcomes and provide genuine healing and wholeness. I am committed to listening, understanding, and respecting you on your journey towards growth and healing and achieving your goals. Always know that you can ask questions, have a different opinion from me, and feel comfortable telling me what you are thinking. I will encourage and support you on your quest to be the best person you can be and help you determine what that looks like for you.

Heart is sea, language is shore. Whatever sea includes, will hit the shore. - Rumi Sometimes it’s hard to find the words for what’s going on in the world and in your life. It can feel overwhelming to navigate rough waters alone and make sense of a sea of emotions. After nearly two decades of working in the environmental field, I’ve learned that in order to protect nature, we must see ourselves as a part of it, and practice self- and collective care to thrive. Through my collaborative and person-centered approach, and training in multicultural community counseling, we will work together to define what restoration and resilience means to you. If you are seeking a non-judgmental and compassionate space to explore challenges and chart a course forward, I am here to support your wayfinding in a journey together toward better mental health.

I hope to empower you and build a collaborative partnership. A partnership built around warmth and empathy allows you to feel seen. Engaging and understanding the needs of the people is essential to promoting their essential self. As your case manager I am there to support, advocate, and research resources that you will need.

I am currently a Master’s student at Northwestern University studying Mental Health Counseling. I am new to the San Diego area, having recently relocated from Honolulu, Hawaii. I hope to bring the aloha spirit and multicultural competence from the islands into my sessions! Storytelling also has been an influential part of my life. As a wedding and lifestyle photographer, capturing people’s experience has been extremely impactful. Transitioning into a counselor role, I hope to listen to your unique personal narrative and process together with a person-centered attitude, cognitive- behavioral techniques, and other elements from psychodynamic theory. Life is unpredictable and it is my pleasure to sit with you with no judgment. The first step to change is reaching out for help, so I am glad you’re here!

Working in workforce development and my healing journey helped me recognize the importance of mental health awareness in underrepresented communities. It also encouraged me to pursue a master’s degree in Multicultural Counseling. I have a genuine passion for guiding people through their healing process to thrive in every area of their life. I feel it takes a holistic approach to truly find your joy. I consider myself a lifetime learner always looking for opportunities to learn.

Hello! I am originally from Palm Springs, and I just recently graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a specialization in Human Health! I have previously worked with the OASIS department at UCSD, which provided services to underrepresented students at that institution. Now, I am starting my first year as a graduate student at San Diego State University. I am on track to obtain a Master's degree in Multicultural Counseling through the CBB (Community Based Block) Program. I am passionate about making a change within my community regarding the attitudes toward mental health and servicing other marginalized communities. I firmly believe that mental health is a human right and should be accessible for all and is just as important as other health services! I am looking forward to working with URCC to help achieve my goals of working with people within my community and providing accessible mental healthcare access!

To my mind, so much relief can come from just pure understanding. When we have better, deeper and more loving insights into ourselves, compassion and empathy follows. The idea of loving ourselves can feel very hollow, a quote on a would-be inspirational poster. But I believe in it, as a life-time occupation, a work that is both as complex and meaningful as it is demanding. It is a functioning, tangible thing. I believe so much of what causes suffering comes from a sense deep inside us that something about us is wrong or bad. I want to work to help people construct a new sense of normal. That may include unspooling the beliefs we may carry about our wrongness as well as coming to a better understanding of ourselves, our needs and our boundaries. We all have reasons why we do what we do and need what we need. It’s my goal to help you better understand yourself, and love yourself. It’s my goal to help you become your best friend, most ardent supporter and fearless champion. You are, in the end, exactly as you should be. I am a second year MFT graduate student, I have an extensive background in working with neurodiverse populations as well as being open to gender and sexuality exploration and affirmation in addition to non-traditional relationship structures.