My name is Annie (she/her) and for the past decade, I have had the humbling honor to work directly with people experiencing many different types of illnesses and medical events, as well as with those close to them. I have journeyed alongside people in outpatient palliative care, acute care hospitals, and skilled nursing facilities. My passion is accompanying those facing neurologic conditions such as Parkinson’s, stroke, dementia, ALS, Multiple Sclerosis, and neuromuscular conditions, as well as with those dealing with cancer, heart and lung problems, kidney disease, auto-immune disorders, and more. While illness and caregiving are universal experiences, I believe that it is an extraordinarily rich time to engage in therapy and find meaning and purpose in ourselves, our relationships, our life histories, and hope for the future.

Professionally:

o   I received a bachelor's degree in English from UCLA and a master’s degree in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley. I received a post-master’s certificate in Palliative Care from the California State University Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care.

o   I am an LCSW (licensed clinical social worker); license #82060 in California.

o   I am nationally board certified through the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center as an Advanced Hospice and Palliative Social Worker- Certified (APHSW-C).

Personally:

o   I was born and raised in Oakland and have spent the majority of my adult life here. The broad diversity in Oakland has informed the root of how I relate to others. I value empathy, acceptance, and trust in other people’s spoken and non-spoken experiences. I am committed to the life-long learning journey required to be a therapist that is as anti-racist, anti-ableist, queer-allied, and fat-positive as possible. My deep hope is to provide safe and facilitative one-on-one therapeutic support that recognizes the inequity of larger systems. I am always learning from my clients and continually humbled by what they share and what they teach me.

o  I am the spouse of someone with serious chronic illness as well as a parent. Life is messy and I am here for the journey.