Therapy for former foster youth & adoptees in scotts valley, ca + online across California & ORegon
You Are Not Too Much. You Are Just on the Edge of Becoming.
Do you often feel like an outsider?
Do you feel disconnected from your identity, roots, or sense of belonging?
Are you constantly proving your worth or overachieving to avoid rejection?
You Deserve to Feel Safe, Seen, and Whole.
Foster care and adoption are complex experiences. Many adults carry silent grief, identity confusion, unresolved trauma, or struggle with intimacy. If you were adopted, aged out of the foster system, or experienced early caregiver disruptions, you might struggle with feeling safe in relationships, trusting others, or knowing where you belong. Many adult adoptees and former foster youth also develop people-pleasing patterns, anxiety, or perfectionism as a way to cope with feelings of abandonment, rejection, or instability.
Through trauma-informed therapy and advanced modalities like Brainspotting, we create space for healing what was never given words. If you're an adult seeking to understand your story more fully and uncover the layers of your identity, you're not alone. I am a therapist who understands the intricacies of adoption and can help you move forward.
I’m here to help with:
+ coping strategies
+ self-esteem
+ feelings of abandonment
+ emotional regulation
+ unresolved grief
+ PTSD and C-PTSD
Together, we will:
DISCOVER Who You Are, Not Just Where You Came From
Your early experiences, whether through adoption, foster care, or disrupted attachments, can leave lasting imprints on how you connect, trust, and see yourself. What happened in the past might show up now as anxiety, emotional shutdown, people-pleasing, or always needing to stay strong.
Together, we’ll explore how these patterns formed and gently begin to untangle them, so you can reconnect with your sense of self, safety, and worth—on your own terms.
identify the Hidden Impact of Early Trauma
Separation from birth families, disrupted attachments, or system involvement leave deep emotional imprints—even when we can’t remember them. We’ll work together to identify how those early experiences may be influencing your current relationships, self-esteem, or emotional regulation. This is especially helpful for adult adoptees and foster youth who appear "high-functioning" but feel disconnected or anxious underneath.
uncover Who You Are—Not Just Who You Had to Be
When you've spent a lifetime adapting, it's easy to lose touch with your authentic self. Therapy helps you reconnect with your voice, your needs, and your sense of identity outside of survival. Through this work, you’ll begin to feel grounded—not just in where you've been, but in who you're becoming. With empathy and unwavering support, we will explore the complexities of your story, empowering you to embrace your authentic self and create meaningful connections with others.
If you’re ready to…
Make sense of your story and stop feeling like parts of you are missing
Heal attachment wounds and feel safe in your relationships
Let go of perfectionism and the need to constantly “prove” your worth
Reclaim your identity and feel grounded in who you are today