My Journey to Becoming a Therapist
I often reflect on my journey—how the experiences and challenges of my own life led me to become a therapist specializing in Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD). My path hasn’t been linear, and it hasn’t been easy, but it has been deeply fulfilling.
I spent over 20 years as a teacher in New York City, working in some of the most underserved and diverse communities. I began my career in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, teaching bilingual special education to children with a variety of developmental disorders. I loved my students deeply, but the work was challenging—emotionally and mentally. I saw firsthand how early trauma could affect the emotional and cognitive development of children. This sparked a deep curiosity within me: How could I help these children heal? How could I better understand their struggles?
I pursued my advanced Master’s in Education at Columbia University, seeking a deeper understanding of the educational system and how to better serve students with special needs. Later, I transitioned to teaching profoundly challenged young children in the Inwood section of New York City, working with children whose behavioral and developmental struggles often went unrecognized. The lack of resources and the stigma surrounding their challenges made it clear that the educational system was not always the best place for emotional healing.
But it wasn’t just the children who struggled. During these years, I was also navigating my own journey—dealing with life’s stresses, healing from my own wounds, and finding my way. I realized that as much as I cared for my students, my heart longed to make a deeper, more lasting impact in the realm of emotional and psychological healing. That’s when I decided to leave the classroom and pursue a path in therapy.
After taking time off to raise my son, I returned to graduate school, earning my advanced Master’s in School Psychology from Fordham University. It was during this time that I began to truly see the limitations of the public school system, especially when it came to the mental health and emotional needs of children. I could see the systemic barriers that prevented children, especially those from marginalized communities, from accessing the help they so desperately needed. I also realized that my passion lay not just in teaching, but in helping people heal from the inside out.
I began working with a forensic psychologist, assisting her with administering neurological testing. Her encouragement led me to pursue my counseling degree at Seton Hall University, where I completed my training while continuing to raise my son. During my clinical training, I worked in Scotch Plains, NJ, with undocumented clients, often in crisis, seeking safety, security, and healing. I also developed a horticulture therapy program, which combined my love for nature with my desire to help clients reconnect with themselves and their healing process. I was also involved in psychological testing and child custody evaluations for the county’s family court, which deepened my understanding of trauma and its lasting impact on families.
Over the years, I gained the courage to venture out on my own and open my private practice. As I continued to grow, I felt a deep calling to specialize in trauma—specifically, Complex PTSD. I became certified in EMDR therapy, a powerful approach to processing trauma that I believe is transformative for many people, especially those whose past wounds have shaped their present relationships and sense of self.