MY FASCINATION WITH HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY

At the age of 14 I became a motivational coach for young adults. I found myself amidst a diverse group of girls, each grappling with their own traumas and psychological challenges such as substance abuse, self-mutilation, suicidal ideation, gender identity crisis, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. 

It was here, in the throes of group therapy, that an unexpected opportunity arose. One day, with the usual leader absent, I stepped in to guide our session. This impromptu decision unveiled a natural aptitude for leadership and empathy that I hadn't recognized in myself before. The session concluded with an unforeseen request from the girls, who, touched by the empathy and interventions I had demonstrated, asked if I would lead again the following week. Upon the leader's return, my role was not diminished but rather elevated, and I was asked to serve as the new co-facilitator. 

AFFIRMING MY CALLING

By the age of 15, my reputation for facilitating understanding and healing within the group therapy sessions had caught the attention of a world recognized Psychologist renowned for her exceptional clinical skills. Recognizing the potential within me, she took me under her wing, offering mentorship that would further shape my path. 

The pivotal moment came unexpectedly. She was counseling a couple teetering towards dissolving their engagement due to incessant fighting and saw an opportunity for a real-world application of my skills. I was invited to observe the dynamics between the couple. Laying out the intricate details of their conflicts, she presented me with a formidable challenge: "Find the issue and solve it!" 

With a blend of intuition honed through personal trials and the analytical skills nurtured by my mentor, I dove into the heart of their discord. The solution I proposed focused not just on the surface level of their arguments but addressed the underlying emotional disconnects and communication barriers. The impact was profound. 

That was when I knew with unwavering certainty, that the sensation of making a tangible difference in the lives of this couple - guiding them through the tempest of their relationship to the calm of reconciliation - affirmed my calling. 

EXERCISING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN AN UNCONVENTIONAL WAY

Unlike many who were drawn directly to the academic pursuit of psychology, I was captivated by the nuanced art of language due to its paramount role in communicative expression—a vital, yet often overlooked, aspect of delving into the psyche's depths and facilitating self-reflection. 

Understanding ourselves hinges significantly on our internal and external articulation. Recognizing this, I pursued a path less chosen; my academic journey led me to earn a bachelor's degree in English writing from Loyola Marymount University, with a major focus on poetic expression. I firmly believe that to truly assist individuals in navigating, processing, and articulately expressing their emotions, the vibrant use of metaphors, similes, and creative language acts as a bridge over the chasm that often separates abstract feelings from the ability to understand and articulate them into tangible insights. This approach fosters authentic, effective, and vital connections with oneself, and by extension, with others.

MY CLINICAL BACKGROUND IN FULL ACTION

I immersed myself in a rigorous full-time program while simultaneously undertaking three part-time clinical roles across a diverse array of mental health settings. Cliffside Malibu (Malibu, CA) substance use rehabilitation center as Individual and Group Therapist, The Camden Center (Century City, CA)  both substance use and mental health rehabilitation center as Lead Residential Technician for both inpatient and sober living housing, La Ventana (Santa Monica, CA) both eating disorders and severe mental health clinic as Individual and Group Psychotherapist. 

While it was uncommon to juggle more than one role, I was driven by the belief that surrounding myself with clients facing challenges in various aspects of their lives in a variety of clinical settings - would sharpen my understanding and help me pinpoint where I could make the most meaningful impact. This educational path was far more than an academic pursuit; it was a deeply personal quest to grasp the full spectrum of human emotions, relationships, and the underlying threads that bind us all together. 

CHANNELING MENTORSHIP INTO LEADERSHIP

My postgraduate years were a period of rich professional growth, under the mentorship of doctoral level experts across various domains of psychology. I completed an additional 3,000 hours in clinical training (in the private practice model focusing on mental health disorders and relationships) at The Center for Individual and Family Counseling under the supervision of Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists: Dr. Rachel Bar and Hannah Weinstein (North Hollywood). That same year, I also worked under Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist: Deanna Gale Emad (Santa Monica, CA) who trained me in the Spiritual Psychology model. The following year I worked with Richard Davis at Exodus Recovery Center (Los Angeles, CA) focusing on treating severe mental health disorders with a concentration on Schizophrenia in the homeless population. This was followed by a Research Assistant role at Peak Brain Institute, (Culver City, CA) under the supervision of UCLA Neuropsychologist Dr. Andrew Hill. 

Unlike other emerging therapists who wait to be told by their mentors that they are ready to establish private practice on their own, my cue came from the clients I was treating. It became a consistent pattern that after a short time of working with me, clients would incredulously comment that they were experiencing penetrating accuracy of diagnosis and treatment, as well as life changing progress at a rapid rate.

CEMENTING A FOUNDATION FOR GREATER REACH

In 2016, I founded London Laed Empowerment, a life and love coaching practice that allowed me to blend my academic knowledge with my passion for personal development within the coaching sphere. Upon receiving my psychotherapy license in 2018, I had launched my private therapy practice, as a solution-focused psychotherapist embodying my commitment to fostering deep understanding alongside actionable change.

Amongst the variety of subtopics in psychotherapy, I took considerable interest in romantic relationships, sex and intimacy. Through my many years of experience, I've borne witness to the depths of despair, the stubborn persistence of behavioral patterns, and the haunting specter of loneliness even within the confines of companionship. Relationships, once brimming with promise, often find themselves in the suffocating grip of contempt, withered by the absence of affection—many seeking outside support long after the initial whispers of discontent were ignored. The depth of romantic relationships is an intellectual passion of mine that flourishes through helping couples build trust, intimacy, romance, and a seemingly new relationship.

Aligned with my keen interest in human relationships, I discovered a passion for dating coaching. Witnessing the extent to which relationships affect people as nothing else can, I turned my attention to the anguish experienced by those who long for a relationship and do not yet have one. Harkening back to my undergraduate studies in poetry, I understand the desire to experience the intimacy of romantic relationships: to have someone to come home to, to be held, to bare one's heart to, to hold in the lonely hours. I recognize that the path to love takes many forms and this is why I treat a range of clients, from those who are reentering the dating market after many years in relationship or single, to those who have never experienced a single date or intimate moment. I help all of these clients find and keep love.

FROM PROVIDING GUIDANCE TO SPREADING KNOWLEDGE

In the course of my practice, I saw that those who identify as female have unique struggles surrounding self-esteem and romantic relationships. Unfortunately, our modern society is not structured in a way that provides a support system for addressing those struggles and for tapping into the incredible power and potential within. This is why joined into partnership with Hila Shmilovich, an expert in behavioral psychology and strategic communication, to write The Irresistible Woman (link to book).