Lakeside Family Chiropractic & Wellness

Before attaining my doctorate, I was a well-established massage therapist for ten years. I worked with various Chiropractors throughout the bay area and owned my own massage establishment in Pacifica. I worked with a wide variety of clientele and gained a great deal of knowledge on alleviating various body ailments. I also learned many patients have been ignored or not listened to by different healthcare practitioners. This, I believe is why I have such success with my patients. I make sure to listen carefully and take a whole-body approach to wellness including observing and enhancing brain function. We must look at diet, nutrition, lab work, brain, and cognitive function to fully see the big picture and to better understand how to help a patient heal.

I completed my graduate degree at Palmer Chiropractic, where I learned various safe techniques for adjusting patients. I am certified to perform Physiotherapy in conjunction with Chiropractic. In addition to helping many patients looking to enhance their wellness, I also help others better manage their sports injuries, scoliosis, migraines, vertigo, degenerative disc disease, stenosis, diabetes, and post-surgical rehab needs.

I am currently continuing my education learning with evidence-based models developed by world-renowned Functional Medicine provider, Dr. Kharazzian. These clinical models focus to treat neurological, autoimmune, and chronic diseases with non-pharmaceutical applications. I am also working on attaining my fellowship with the International Association of Functional Neurology.

I’ve been practicing psychotherapy for over 15 years, and have witnessed the healing power that arises through a therapeutic relationship. I first worked as a Master’s level clinician (MS in Counseling Psychology with a focus on Marriage and Family Therapy) in community mental health settings for four years. At this stage, I first recognized the art in both assessment and therapy.  Discovering the value of an assessment process piqued my interest in psychological testing, and I pursued a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology. This helped me hone in on developing assessment skills to contribute to empowering the individuals I work with.

To enhance my clinical work, I am an adjunct professor and supervisor for doctoral students in assessment and therapy. While I have worked with diverse populations, including a focus on the LGBTQI+ community, I also have extensive experience and research in the treatment and assessment of trauma, mood and anxiety disorders, self-injurious behaviors, and family dynamics. I have a supportive, yet direct approach. I look forward to connecting with you to see if we can work together to meet your goals.

Chiropractic treatments are one of the modalities that may be used to help with a patient complaint. Usually when a patient comes in for a first time they are having pain. I will do a series of tests to diagnose the problem. During the spinal exam I will look for areas in the spine feeling more restricted. Later, these areas of restriction will be the focused area for an adjustment. A chiropractic adjustment is a quick specific non-invasive thrust to the area of concern. The adjustment will help relax the muscles and tissues around the joint. This will help restore joint motion, which usually helps reduce pain. The adjustment will also send sensory information to the brain. The brain is then more aware of how that area of the spine is moving. It will also allow for more precise muscle contraction and movements.  This should help ease the abnormal pressures on the joints.

During your initial Chiropractic appointment we will also perform a movement analysis to observe how your body moves as a whole. This helps to identify abnormal movement patterns which may be the cause of why a patient started having pain the first place. Having patients have more awareness of their bodies can help prevent future pain. Patient education is a huge part of my success in maintaining long lasting patient doctor relationships.

Various ailments can occur if joints and muscles aren’t moving properly.  A few common conditions such as, early-onset joint degeneration, stenosis, degenerative disc disease, inflammation, pain, muscle compensations, decrease coordination, dysfunctional movement patterns, nerve compression, and many more. The brain can also become less aware of its spatial surroundings and joint position. This leads to over or undershooting movements which can lead to injury.  Schedule an appointment now to learn the many benefits chiropractic adjustments can offer.

This short video helps you understand how the brain and body work together.

What Services do I need?

People often seek psychological services when facing a transition or during an experience of distress. Each individual has their own process and different path to gain what they need. I offer a free initial phone consultation to discuss what you are seeking.  We can decide if we could be a good match for therapy, coaching, or psychological testing. We will use a collaborative approach in our work together. Regardless of your individual needs, I will utilize relational and empirically supported interventions to work toward meeting your full potential.  Whether it’s learning skills to get you through this impasse, or finding ways to better cope with your ongoing struggles, I will creatively think out of the box to empower you on your unique journey.

I have helped many individuals understand what is getting in the way of learning, and advocated for educational or occupational accommodations to overcome barriers to success (i.e. IEP accommodations, disability benefits). I have also helped others to better utilize their exceptional abilities to qualify for specialized programs (i.e., gifted programs, Mensa). While I am happy to work with individuals with a variety of difficulties, I do have specialized training with teens and young adults who have experienced trauma (i.e. sexual assault, physical abuse, community violence, domestic violence) or have ongoing difficulties with mood or anxiety disorders. Whatever the issue, you have the power to heal and move forward. I would be honored to be a guide or a witness to your personal growth.

SERVICES OFFERED:

• Therapy
• Psychological testing
• Parent consultation
• Life & Professional Coaching
• Telehealth

How often do I need to have Therapy?

This varies depending on your situation. I have worked with people from diverse backgrounds and of all ages, each having different needs. Sometimes individuals are in personal crisis and require short-term work.  Other individuals or families prefer ongoing therapy to work through multiple daily obstacles, historical traumas, or deeper levels of self-awareness. Other individuals are seeking more clear answers that can be addressed better through psychological testing. Together we will gain a clear understanding of your strengths, put your life situation in perspective, and develop insights into your inner experience.

. Many of us have health issues that have not properly been addressed. Everyone also has a different idea of how they want their health to look Whether that is learning to eat healthier, decreasing inflammation, lose weight, have a certain physique, live pain-free, build cardiovascular endurance, increase energy, think clearly, feel happiness, ultimately, it is all about enhancing who you are and understand what is happening with your body at a cellular level. It starts with making goals and committing to them. That is the tricky part. It is easier to write a goal down than to actually complete it! Sometimes we need that extra guidance to help us get to the starting line. Sometimes, even prioritizing goals can feel overwhelming and hard to know where to start.

Speaking from experience, I know it is a struggle to accomplish health goals. Especially when I had so many unanswered questions from medical doctors. At times, I felt I was so far away from the right path that I felt hopeless. But after many struggles, and many roadblocks I crossed the (first) finish line. I won’t lie, it wasn’t easy, but it is so fulfilling to succeed in attaining goal. I wanted to help others feel this same feeling of accomplishment and new sense of health. I also wanted them to have the guidance and support that I lacked on my journey. Functional Wellness is for those who want to enhance their health but feel stagnant. We want to make the journey a positive learning process and not just a race to the destination.

When you schedule a Wellness visit, we will do a comprehensive history of health which includes brain health and function, mental health, nutrition and fitness goals if any. These visits are tailored to each individual. There is no cookie cutting here. Some examples of health visits are:

• Chronic Fatigue
• Brain Fog
• Diabetes
• Hashimoto’s
• Weight loss
• Pain Reduction
• Hypoglycemia/hyperglycemia
• Core stability and strength
• Traumatic Brain Injury rehab – Neuroplasticity
• Overall wellness
• Vertigo
• Chronic pain
• Attention problems
• Memory issues
• Sleep issues
• Trauma
• Depression
• Anxiety

Because we look at the big picture we require all initial paperwork, previous labs, medical records and imaging (if any) to be submitted prior to the appointment. This gives us time to thoroughly investigate and review your history as well as come up with a tentative hypothesis/plan. Further testing will be done during your initial visit. These tests can include medical imaging and further lab testing. Please feel free to email the office if you have questions.

NOTE: Paperwork must be received three days prior to your appointment. It is important we have time to collaborate and make a plan. We sometimes spend a few hours reviewing cases before a patient comes in. If the paperwork is not received, your appointment will likely be rescheduled.