A Little About Me
"The more you welcome your vulnerability, the less afraid you'll feel" -Lori Gottlieb
My name is Maggie and I am so glad you found your way here! I am an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist under the supervision of Annette Smith, LMFT and I obtained my Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy in May of 2020 from Hope International University. My story includes huge life transitions, broken friendships, and many who walked alongside me from a young age, only to be followed by others in later years. I was blessed to have listeners in my life, and people who would sit with me, allowing for safety and raw emotion until I was ready to move into solution. When I first found my way into the therapy room as a client, I was grieving. Seeing a therapist who was kind and patient allowed me to feel safe and, ultimately, grow in ways I had never imagined. My calling and utmost passion, is to be that same safety and healing presence for others. To see someone heal and go from a place of despair to a place of hope is my biggest reward. I believe that it is within the context of safe relationships that we grow and heal. Accordingly, providing a place where you feel safe and heard is my highest priority. I am also EMDR-trained and believe in its power in unlocking the brain's "stuck places," where traumatic memories are stored. I will use that if I think it will help you heal and find restoration.
My clinical experience to date includes working with at-risk adolescents (13-18) in short-term residential therapeutic settings, trauma processing and EMDR with victims of violent crime (especially sexual assault), utilizing hybrid in-person-and-telehealth model for sessions, and working with referrals from the Orange County Social Services Agency.
I count it a privilege to be let into your story and an honor to walk this path with you.
