Therapy to help you live more authentically.
About Therese
I’m a trauma-informed psychotherapist licensed in New York and California, working with adult clients in individual psychotherapy.
As someone who grew up in the Philippines and later resided in New York City and now California, I have a deep appreciation for the complexities of identity, migration, intergenerational trauma, and cultural adjustment. I bring this lens to my work, particularly with BIPOC, first-generation, and immigrant clients, while also welcoming individuals from all backgrounds who are seeking a reflective, supportive space for personal growth.
Since 2012, I’ve worked in a variety of clinical settings—including crisis hotlines, inpatient hospitals, school-based therapy programs, outpatient clinics, and clinical research—all of which have shaped the grounded, compassionate care I bring to private practice.
I am bilingual in English and Tagalog.
““We are not here to fit in, be well balanced, or provide exempla for others. We are here to be eccentric, different, perhaps strange, perhaps merely to add our small piece, our little clunky, chunky selves, to the great mosaic of being… we are here to become more and more ourselves.””
My Approach and Working With Me
As a psychotherapist, it’s deeply important to me to create a space where you feel seen, heard, and understood. I believe that a compassionate and attuned relationship can be profoundly healing, especially in the places where you feel stuck.
I work from a relational and psychodynamic orientation, and I pay close attention to how past experiences, family dynamics, cultural context, and unconscious patterns influence your present life. My work is influenced by Jungian psychology, and I enjoy depth-oriented, exploratory work, incorporating techniques such as dream work and active imagination to engage with the unconscious. I also draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and take a mind-body approach, recognizing that emotional insight is often accompanied by the wisdom of the body.
I believe that insight is only the beginning, and that meaningful change happens when reflection is followed by intentional action. I invite clients to not only explore their inner world but to embody that awareness in their daily lives, moving toward a more authentic, integrated, and meaningful way of being.
My Practice and Services Offered
I work with adults in individual psychotherapy. I do not offer couples therapy at this time. My practice is fully remote and all sessions are conducted through a HIPAA-compliant video platform.
Specializations
I specialize in treating anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, life transitions, grief and loss, identity exploration, and acculturation and cross-cultural concerns. I take particular interest in exploring the impact of intergenerational and cultural trauma and how past experiences shape one’s current patterns, relationships, and sense of self.
Education, Trainings, and Memberships
Fully licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in the states of California (license #90992) and New York (license #001374)
Master of Arts (M.A.) in Counseling Psychology, University of San Francisco, California
Psychodynamic Training Program, Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy, New York City
Certificate in Trauma Studies, National Institute for Psychotherapies, New York City
Certificate in Clinical Training in Analytical Psychology, Salome Institute of Jungian Studies
Member, California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
Member, Santa Clara Valley Chapter of California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (SCV-CAMFT)
