Talofa lava & Aloha! I grew up in Samoa and New Zealand, and later lived in the Philippines, several U.S. states, and now Hawai‘i. To me, people's cultures are a big part of their story, and moving around has given me the opportunity to learn from many cultures and communities. These experiences shaped my culturally informed-evidence based approach to therapy as a psychologist. This approach doesn't just help me understand a person as an individual, it also helps me understand them as a participating member of their environment. We influence our surroundings, and in turn our surroundings shape who we are and who we become.

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As a Pacific Islander, part of my professional journey always involved giving back to my community, and providing psychological services is my way of doing that. Mental Health was not a topic that was understood or accepted in the culture I grew up in. Yet, so many Pacific Islanders experience these challenges, sometimes across multiple generations. Yes we have our families, religions/churches, and friends we turn to as a collective support. However, these systems do not always provide the help we need. My hope is that my people take this leap and explore what the benefits are that therapy can offer. 

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My interest in working with men specifically, stem from a number of factors. One in particular was recognizing that men have limited spaces to open up about the challenges they experience. Even if those spaces are made available, many of us struggle to articulate how we feel or communicate our needs, because that behavior doesn't align with societal expectations of what men do. This societal pressure is what contributes to the stigma that permeates through men's health. My hope in working with men is to reduce that stigma, one person at a time. 

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My clinical training and experience: I received my ​Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee in Counseling Psychology. I've worked in various clinical settings including mental health clinics, medical hospital, primary care, psychiatric/behavioral health hospitals, and a career counseling center. My primary modalities are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT); these are frameworks that help individuals understand the "why" behind their experiences and what to do to resolve their issues and improve symptoms. For trauma specific treatment, I also use Prolonged Exposure, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Schema Therapy, and Trauma‑Focused CBT. Other modalities I use also include Mindfulness‑Based approaches and Motivational Interviewing.