PROFILE

Offering a neuroscience and mindfulness based approach to the mental health profession, with an emphasis on an authentic therapeutic relationship.  Effectively using attunement as well as intuitive and clinical psychotherapeutic skills, which I have gained over twenty years of experience that help patients to heal and thrive.  Collaborating with colleagues, and the system at large to advocate for programs that promote social healing and development.  Gaining knowledge and learning from new experiences.  

EDUCATION 

Naropa University, Boulder, Colorado.

Masters of Arts in Buddhist Psychology & Contemplative Psychotherapy, May 2016. 

Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Masters of Science in Mental Health Counseling, December 2000.

Florida International University, Miami, Florida.

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Magna Cum Laude, December 1998.

Miami-Dade Community College, Miami, Florida. 

Associates in Arts, Major Psychology, December 1996.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Psychotherapy

• Providing individual, group, couple, and family psychotherapy in various inpatient and outpatient settings to children, teens, adults, and elderly clients from a variety of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, having a broad spectrum of mental health problems including mood disorders, behavioural disorders, psychosis, addiction, and trauma. 
• Practicing Somatic Experiencing and Trauma Yoga Therapy techniques with clients experiencing PTSD related symptoms due to child abuse, sexual abuse or domestic violence.  
• Implementing Contemplative, Social Justice, and Trauma Informed Counseling skills to victims of violence in various settings including an emergency shelter. 
• Using intuitive, empathic, and analytical skills in the here and now of the therapeutic relationship.  
• Offering a contemplative approach in which, clients are conceptualized and therapy is conducted based on helping reconnect with their innate sanity, strengths, and inner resources. 
• Recognizing attachment wounds and working towards healing those that contribute to mental anquish. 
• Including mindful based interventions by bringing a personal meditation practice into the therapeutic relationship by helping clients to become more mindful, and using that capacity to examine their own inner world and experience and promote emotional regulation.
• Incorporating several modalities, including cognitive behavioral, contemplative, body awareness, play, and art therapy, which were tailored to clients’ backgrounds and presenting problems. 
• Utilizing past life regression therapy to clients who sought the method, with the aim to awaken from past conditioning, releasing anxieties and fears, and awakening the wisdom acquired from past experiences. 
• Advocating for and educating  clients with the intention of acknowledging and removing barriers to physical health and mental stability and connecting to internal and communal support/resources.
• Conducting psychosocial assessments, developed treatment plans as well as clinical and court reports for clients. 
• Providing skills based counseling to individual clients and groups of all ages, surrounding self-care, problem solving, anger management, conflict resolution, parenting, and communication.
• Facilitating a support group for young adults experiencing severe states of mind, including psychosis, mania, and suicidality.
• Co-facilitating substance abuse groups using an education and relapse prevention model.
• Conducting educational presentations to preschool, elementary, and secondary school teachers and parents on various mental health topics. 
• Collaborating with various professionals to ensure clients’ treatment needs were met.  
• Seeking supervision from respected mental health professionals, who provided the support needed to ensure the effective use of my psychotherapeutic skills with clients. 
• Proactive in personal and professional growth and development that aids not only in being a up to date and highly educated therapist, but also highly skilled with presence, clarity, and discernment, through the practice of meditation and yoga as well as taking part in various workshops, trainings, and retreats online and in person with top teachers all over the world. 

Teaching and Coaching Mindfulness, Meditation, and Yoga

• Instructing personally designed kickboxing and boot camp classes to teens and adults, with a focus on promoting an overall sense of health and well-being.
• Teaching Vinyasa yoga group and individual classes to teens and adults, whilst creating a space for acceptance and nurturing of their body, and encouraging proper alignment, breathing and meditation practices to facilitate strength and calm in their mind, spirit, and body.
• Providing one on one mindfulness meditation instruction to students.
• Developing and facilitating mindfulness meditation classes, workshops, and programs to teach students of all ages the skills in training their mind and forming a healthy relationship with their mental and emotional world.
• Designing a mindfulness for youth 10-week program incorporating the tenants of neuroscience, mindfulness, yoga, and psychology, geared towards developing emotional intelligence, and implementing it in schools, personal, and community studios for over 5O kids a term.   
• Creating a mindfull parenting program and teaching it to parents in a workshop format.
• Writing meditation scripts and developing personal flyers and using them on social media and on billboards at local health stores and schools for promotions and to educate the community on psychotherapy, mindfulness, meditation, and yoga.

Advocacy and Mentoring

• Identifying systemic issues in the community and responding through providing outreach counseling services for free or sliding scale to at risk populations, educating others, and fund raising.
• Co founding a local NGO (Mindwise) with a mission to foster sustainable change on the factors that inhibit those experiencing mental health challenges from accessing and receiving adequate mental health care. 
• Taking part on mental health forums in educating the public on mental health.
• Playing an active role as president of a local NGO, in which we developed and coordinated a mentorship program, as well as take part in fund raising events and programs to support at risk children in our community.  
• Volunteering psychotherapy services to adults who were victims and perpetrators of domestic violence, and children with literacy problems.
• Advocating for victims of abuse and neglect by educating the public on social and systemic issues, through writing articles, co-facilitating trainings, and presentations.
• Providing emotionally supportive counseling skills to children in other countries where there was severe social issues and mental health suffering.

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY

Psychotherapist: Private Practice, Port of Spain, Trinidad. Sep 2016 to present.

Mindfulness/Meditation Coach: Private Practice, Trinidad, Sep 2016 to present.

Intern Counselor: Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Non-Violence, Boulder, CO. May 2015 to May 2016.

Intern Counselor: September High School, Boulder, CO. Sept to Dec 2014.

Yoga Teacher: Private Studio, Trinidad, 2010-2013 and 2016 to present.

Kickboxing and Boot Camp Instructor: Private Studio, Trinidad, 2004-2013.

Psychotherapist: Private Practice, Port of Spain, Trinidad. Jan 2002 to Jul 2013. 

Psychotherapist: Citrus Health Network Inc., Miami, FL. Jan to Dec 2001. 

Intern Psychotherapist: Family Counseling Services, Miami, FL. Jan to Dec 2000. 

Student Counselor: ACE Academy, Miami, FL. Jan to Dec 1998.

VOLUNTEER/CHARITY WORK

Director of Mental Health Affairs: Mindwise: A Mental Health Project, T&T. 2017-present.

President: It’s for the Kids Foundation, Port of Spain, Trinidad. Sep 2016 to 2017.

Volunteer Counselor: I Have a Dream Foundation, Lafayette, Co. July 2014

Mentorship Director: It’s for the Kids Foundation, Port of Spain, Trinidad. Oct 2011-Jul 2013.    

Volunteer: Orphanage, Kenya, Africa. Jul to Aug 2010.         

Volunteer: Crèche, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Jan to Feb 2010.

Volunteer Counselor: Coalition for Domestic Violence. Jan to Dec 2001.  

Volunteer Counselor: Adult Literacy Teachers Association. Jan to Mar 2001.

Volunteer: Miami Behavioral Health Center, Miami, FL. May to Jun 1998.

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Research Assistant: Administered experiments and tests to college and high school students that focused on assessing identity and intimacy issues.  Psychosocial Developmental Lab, Florida International University, Miami, FL.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS: former member of Psi Chi (FIU), former APA (American Psychological Association) member, current TTAP (Trinidad and Tobago Association of Psychologists) member.