About Sidra

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and have been working in clinical mental health for about 10 years. Prior to my career in clinical social work, I earned a masters degree in public health (specifically mental health) so I have been involved in a variety of projects related to mental health research, education and training, program development, and evaluation for the better part of 30 years. 

I am originally from the beautiful Hudson Valley of New York, and lived in South Florida, Chicago, Washington DC, and a few places in between before moving to California in 2002. I am the proud mother of a Freshman at Cal (UC Berkeley) and currently the guardian of one feisty cat. 

I am serious about offering an affirming practice. That means I work to empower a client with respect to their gender identity, sexuality, relationship orientation, neurodiversity, body size / shape / ability, cultural, and any other differences, rather than trying to "repair" or minimize such differences. Clients describe me as insightful, empathetic, compassionate, genuine, funny, easy-going, and nonjudgmental.

Education

Master of Social Work, California State University, Los Angeles

Master of Health Science in Mental Hygiene, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health

Graduate Studies, Social Ecology, University of California at Irvine

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, University of Chicago


We can not solve our problems with the same thinking that we used when we created them."

--Albert Einstein

Additional Training

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Beyond Trauma

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Processing Therapy

Crisis Oriented Recovery Services

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

ITTI Certificate of Completion as Clinical Trauma Professional

Mindfulness-Based Mental Health Treatment

Mindful Self-Compassion

Motivational Interviewing

Problem Solving Treatment

Seeking Safety

UpRisingYoga Certificate of Completion of Teacher Training

Techniques & Approaches

My approach is holistic and integrated in order to best meet your needs, including aspects of the following: Mindfulness, CBT, ACT, CPT, DBT, EFT, Gottman Method, PACT, Attachment Theory, Motivational Interviewing, Psychoeducation, Buddhist Psychology, Positive Psychology, Humanist and Existential models, Feminist and Narrative models, Systems Theory, Health at Every Size, Strength-Based, and Problem Solving Treatment.