My foundational work and experience is rooted in decades of hands-on social justice, advocacy and community organizing work primarily with communities of color, immigrants, refugees, LGBTQ+ folx and survivors of partner violence, sexual violence and labor exploitation.

My therapeutic healing lens and orientation is embedded in Feminist Theory, Critical Race Theory, Liberation Psychology, somatic based healing, Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM), Strengths-based work, Narrative Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Relational Psychodynamic and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).

MSW - Social Work, Simmons University School of Social Work

she/her

I learned about racism and social inequities from a very early age of 4-5 years - being a first generation immigrant and a member of a minority community in my home country. I was born in the year of race riots in Malaysia and my family had to flee their neighborhood and the city where people were being slaughtered on the streets. I witnesed and experienced the pain of racism and also the warmth and richness of being in a multicultural neighborhood, church, and school and was constantly trying to balance out the hurt with the love in community. I spent a good amount of my headspace in childhood and youth and continue to do so – devising ways to bring people together, to create harmoiny, to build racial solidarity and to live with kindness and heal from my own wounds and stand up for and work on healing communities in pain. I figured I would accomplish this through journalism or becoming a couselor (or a vet!) and I realized my dreams that were leveraged through my academic and community organizing, crisis counseling, facilitation and grassroots work. Later in life with decades of community trauma work under my belt I decided to get licensed and add additional skills to my repertoire nd engaging in healing work that is holistic and placed within social, historical and political contexts . Journeying with individuals and coming to new awareness and safer and calmer spaces is such a gift to the soul.

I sing in two choirs, The Angel City Chorale and Health of LA, love to go birding with my camera and dabble in artwork, love reading, watching mysteries, comedy and dramedy on tele and try to maintain a indoor and balcony garden.

I laugh and be silly with mmy partner and my pet every single day -- there's not a day that goes by that we aren't cracking up at our ridiculous jokes and it's the best feeling!

My Own Country by Abraham Verghese D, about a doctor treating AIDS patients in rural Tennessee during the early months and years of outbreak. Never fails to make me cry – he is an amazingly sensitive and gentle writer, honest and attuned to his feelings.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology, because we need to save our precious birdies and our Mother Earth.

I take dance classes and let loose with West African, Zumba, Dancehall anything high energy and also love to sip tea at a cozy cafe with a good book in hand.

I have an adorable black kitty Squitty FOMO Longfellow and I love it when he plops his solid self on my legs and cuddles up when I'm napping or slumbering :) It's the best!