Moving Sea Therapy, PLLC provides a space to help clients safely express their concerns and learn tools to implement positive changes in their life. Sessions are held virtually, as a “walk and talk” at a local nature trail in the Raleigh area, and in-person at my North Raleigh office, depending on what is best for you. Therapy at Moving Sea will be empowering, growth-oriented, and yes, challenging at times. As Carl Rogers said, “The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction not a destination.”

I earned a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Texas Woman’s University in August 2020 and am a licensed clinical mental health counselor (LCMHC; license #16497). Since beginning my clinical training in 2019, I’ve helped teens and adults heal and cope with a variety of concerns, including depression, anxiety, life adjustments, interpersonal conflict, low self-esteem, disordered eating, trauma, intimacy difficulties, and identity development.

I utilize a trauma-informed, strengths-based counseling approach with focus on feminist/multicultural, interpersonal process, and person-centered interventions. This means I value all of the identities and experiences you bring into the therapeutic space, pay special attention to your interpersonal relationships, including our client-therapist relationship, and continuously collaborate with you on your counseling goals and treatment. I also place importance on identifying, examining, and challenging sources of power and oppression that may impact you, especially if you hold marginalized identities.

I integrate mindfulness, somatic (body-based), and ecotherapy (nature-based) techniques into my work and use various interventions from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Internal-Family Systems (IFS) to meet your individualized needs. You are invited to ask questions about my counseling techniques, the therapeutic process, and any other information that may assist you in making an informed and empowered decision about your treatment.

I grew up in San Antonio, Texas and have lived in different parts of Texas (including Fort Worth, Austin, and Dallas) for much of my life. So yes, I do say “y’all” and count breakfast tacos and queso as staple foods. I studied sociology and film at Texas Christian University, and a few years after earning my undergraduate degree there, I relocated to Chicago, then Columbus (Ohio), and Seattle before coming back to Texas for my master’s degree. I guess you could say I love change! I worked in residential foster care, special education, and advertising/marketing prior to realizing my passion for counseling. The signs were there all along, but I needed time, life experience, and personal growth to finally pursue it.

I moved to North Carolina in August 2020 and have made it my new home with my partner and dog, Winston. I love the hospitality and diversity in NC, along with easy access to the mountains and the beach. I enjoy hiking, traveling, trying new breweries, reading, practicing yoga, and watching LOTS of movies and T.V. I bet we have some favorite shows in common!

I believe our identities reflect how we move about the world, so I find it important to understand and share them as both an individual and therapist. I hold identities as a White, Mexican-American, straight, middle-class, thin, non-disabled, cisgender woman. As I hold many privileged identities, I recognize that I inherently benefit from societal systems that oppress people with marginalized identities. This awareness drives my responsibility and actions as an Ally and advocate for you in the therapeutic space and outside in the greater community. I value your unique identities and look forward to exploring how they impact you and your counseling goals.