Early in my career in urban youth ministry and later as a Clinical Supervisor in school-based mental health I developed a deeper understanding of what motivates people to learn and grow; feeling safe and supported so we can dare to go out and explore.  My understanding of human development and attachment theory serves as the underpinning of my work with children, youth, and adults.

Like Whitman affirms, "I hold multitudes"; I am a cisgender man, father, husband, brother, son. I am an immigrant, privileged in my education and proud to be a working-class member of the Global Majority, and an LGBTQIA+ ally among many other identities.

My IFS Jounrney:

IFS has given me a language to learn to relate to myself and others, a healing metaphor that welcomes and speaks to all my parts; even skeptical parts about IFS are welcome :)

I completed the first level L1 of training in Internal Family Systems (IFS) with Paul Ginter and Mona Barbera in 2021 and the second level L2, deepening and expanding with Pamela Krause and Gailt Arad-Turner in 2023.

I had the privilege to be Program Assistant (PA) for the first-ever official IFS L1 level trainings for Latin America with Lead Trainers Imma Lloret and Analía Castaños-Davis. I serve on the IFS Greater Philadelphia Steering Committee and lead an IFS peer consult group for other therapists at Lifestance.

I grew up in the Atacama desert, in a mining town in the north of Chile (near where the 33 miners were rescued alive). My father was a preacher and my mother a gifted teacher. My parts that hold their legacy 'compromised' and I became a therapist later in life. Being a therapist is a part of who I am. I am also a nature lover, I like going for walks/jogs/biking in the Wissahickon, making music, and I love fixing all sorts of things; a "jack of all trades" my loved ones would say. Lately, I have been playing lots of chess :)

Cerro Bramador (rumbling mountain) Atacama - Chile