Languages Spoken: English
Supervised by a Licensed Clinician

Aloha! My name is Jess (pronouns: she/her) and I’m honored to serve as one of the many therapist trainees here at Open Paths Counseling Center. I earned my B.S. in Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology from UCLA and am currently pursuing my Master’s in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy at Pepperdine University.

As someone who was born and raised in Hawai’i, I have had the privilege of being immersed in rich cultural, ethnic and racial diversity. Respect, humility and altruism toward the surrounding community and the earth are values that were ingrained in me throughout my life, and I strive to uphold these in all of my interactions with the people I come across and the places I visit. Growing up there, alongside my experiences coming from an immigrant family, I have witnessed the pervasive adverse effects that oppressive systems, mental health stigma, colonization, war, and assimilation have on the physical, psychological and spiritual wellbeing of people, but especially those who are BIPOC and/or come from intersecting marginalized identities.

I strive to adopt approaches that are trauma-informed, decolonial, and liberatory. I’m committed to meeting the mental health needs of the various communities here in Los Angeles by providing services that are gender- and disability-affirming, multiculturally-oriented and neurodiversity-informed. My style is warm, authentic, empowering, collaborative, and person-centered. In working with me, you can expect that your unique stories and vulnerability will be met with great care, patience, and humility. I hope to meet you soon!

Outside of therapy, I can be found hiking, waveboarding, playing the drums and piano, boxing, volunteering, giving hugs to my loved ones, watching an indie film, or scoping out the food scene in a new neighborhood.