It all started when…
My name is Jana (pronounced Jay-nah), and I am a Filipino American female from Los Angeles, California.
I am many things. I like to call myself, in Emilie Wapnick’s words, a multipotentialite. I am a writer, artist, Guided Autobiography instructor and a licensed marriage family therapist.
I write stories, poems and songs, play music, and I am pretty crafty.
My journey in my career started off in journalism. I was a writer and copy editor for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. I have been writing stories and poems since I was a child, and I always wanted to write for a living. Due to some major life changes, I ended up leaving the newspaper, in search of a new path in which I wanted to directly impact and help people.
My interest in mental health started in 2009 when I began volunteering at a rape crisis hotline counseling survivors of sexual assault and providing support for them at hospitals when they arrived for forensic exams. I found the work with survivors such a rewarding experience that I wanted to continue to help others. I went back to school, and I obtained my Master's Degree in Couples and Family Therapy at the California School of Professional Psychology in 2014.
I completed my trainee-ship working with surivors of domestic violence at the Asian Pacific Women's Center, which provided transitional housing for families of women and children. Since then, I have had experience working with a variety of issues such as depression, anxiety, trauma and PTSD, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in the community mental health setting. I earned my LMFT license in 2018 and EMDR training from the Institute of Creative Mindfulness.
My early career path and personal experiences with trauma have led me to work with sexual abuse survivors. I noticed that a lot of my clients were creatives with trauma and a lot of them struggled with self-worth, stepping into their desires and their own power.
As a creative myself, and working in trauma, I realized that a lot of core negative beliefs are the root of these barriers that hold us back from our true selves and own inherent creativity. So I decided to add to my practice to help women heal their creative selves through Guided Autobiography groups. Trauma can disconnect us from that creativity, and the goal is to reconnect with these parts of ourselves since I truly believe art is healing.
Some other fun personal things about me is that I have a cute little Brussels Griffon dog named Monte that I adore. And last but not least, I am a huge Hamilton fan and know the lyrics to all the songs.
Looking forward to getting to know more about you.