The Life Ready Team & Crew

I can liken my therapy sessions to exploring an unknown world, filled with adventure and sometimes the mundane. My clients are the main travelers and I am their companion in their journey. We can traverse mountains of emotions but we can also rest in the plains to take a breather. Wherever they want to go, whenever they are ready, they have a companion.

The travel can be filled with stories, tears, and laughter, but silences are very much welcome, too. My clients are free to press the start button of a new story whenever they like. If ever they find themselves scared and having difficulty starting, I can help them push the button and open the door to the dungeon. We can fight monsters and open the treasure box at the end of the tunnel. Whether we find a treasure or nothing at the end of it, I think the process of slaying dragons with my clients is the prize itself.

To be allowed to be their companion is a great privilege because I know how scary exploring the unknown is and I understand how anything can be a little lighter when there is someone to share it with.

I find meaning in the work of psychotherapy through seeing my clients’ gradual self-integration, where they become more aware and accepting of their varying emotions, thoughts, and reactions. As the self is the main tool I use in the sessions, I continually improve myself while I support my clients’ development.

Learning about my own processes and keeping updated with advances in the field allow me to extend the best care possible to my clients. In a confidential setting, I collaborate with my clients. I may not have all the answers to their concerns, but what I can offer is my constant companionship in finding clarity in such a quest.

A safe space is provided in the sessions to explore and process any confusion, discomfort, and other difficulties. I acknowledge both the clients’ personal and systemic challenges. I help them navigate these internal and external intricacies to ultimately thrive. I want my clients to feel that I am with them, sensitive and respectful of where they are and what they need. Each session aims to equip them with skills and encourage a more reflective stance for them to tread life confidently on their own.

I always believe that awareness is a powerful thing to possess and can be utilized towards the journey of healing. It is not always easy to recognize and acknowledge various experiences but when one is able to do so, a sense of awareness becomes apparent that becomes a stepping stone to finding the missing pieces of one’s life, in relation to the client’s goals and priorities set in therapy.

I understand that this is challenging and can be threatening, and that is why the client’s readiness is always taken into consideration. Whatever the concern is, I try my best to make my clients feel that they are not alone in the journey and that there is no rush to reach the destination.

In my psychotherapy sessions, the journey is as important as the destination itself. Small wins are recognized and all kinds of progress is significant. Nothing is insignificant, and I strive to provide a safe space where clients can unpack all of the joy, pain, sorrow, excitement, and fear that they have gone through, is going through, and may go through in life.

It will be a collaborative process, similar to how a driver and a conductor work together. I will act as your conductor as we set off towards this journey: assisting you, keeping things in check when needed, guiding you, and prioritizing your well-being. It is a journey that we will partake together with genuine care and respect all throughout.

Improving the quality of life of my learners has always been my top priority. Thus, I make sure to incorporate skills that are vital in developing self-determination and independence when crafting individualized programs for my students with exceptionalities. On top of that, I have always been committed to involving the community in doing so. I put great emphasis on community-based instructions to create contextualized learning experiences that will provide avenues to apply what they have learned in their own community.

I find joy in knowing that in some way I have helped my students in reaching their full potential and in becoming contributing members of our society.

Life is an ongoing story. We write it with family, friends, enemies, and even strangers. We are both author and character at the same time. We live life the way we write impromptu freestyle narratives – there is no room for take-twos, just a collection of drafts that contain our feelings, thoughts, and selves in the moment.

The writer in me sees therapy as a space for the client-as-author to look at their drafts. We explore these stories, and I join them in understanding what prompted them to write what they did, what feelings they held then, and what feelings they have now as they look back at those works.

Though drafts cannot be written, therapy has room for the possibility of writing new ones. It’s where one can try writing more sophisticatedly, explore new themes and genres, or find other ways to write what’s next. Sometimes, it’s a place to brainstorm writing familiar storylines, but perhaps with better resolutions.

Therapy is a place of coming together, trading stories, becoming a part of each other’s stories, and growing as storytellers.

As a psychodynamically-trained psychologist, I believe that significant past experiences largely shape how an individual relates to themselves and to others. I also believe the keys to mental health are 1) developing awareness towards unconscious baggage, 2) tolerating ambivalences (that yes, we may have contradictory thoughts and feelings towards certain people or matters and that’s okay!), and 3) striving for balance in our actions, thoughts, and emotions.

Reflecting on my therapist journey, I realized that the therapeutic relationship really becomes a mirror of the client’s relationships outside of the therapeutic space where emotional wounds occur. With that knowledge, I hope to provide in this relationship the corrective experiences where clients can safely explore about themselves and their relationships with others, unlearn things that once protected them growing up but no longer serve them, learn new things that are more currently aligned with their values, goals, and needs, and healthily repair ruptures. All of these may contribute to a meaningful and purposeful life filled with agency and stability.

As a Role-Playing Game (RPG) enthusiast, I like to see my clients as the protagonists to their own healing journeys whereas I am their reliable party member. In this journey, sometimes we grind experience/craft weapons (e.g. develop coping tools) to help us. Sometimes, we slay fearsome monsters and dragons (e.g. work through our inner emotional conflicts that perpetuate recurring patterns). And sometimes, we rest at the save points too when we need to slow down because slaying monsters is hard work! As a party member, it is my role to provide constant support whether that looks like providing a listening ear, giving the gentle nudge that protagonist needs when they feel downtrodden, and even journeying into that unknown together. While all of these can be quite a scary, vulnerability-inducing endeavor, I’d like to think the stable presence, warmth, and compassion of a therapist can make the chaotic and non-linear nature of the healing journey a lot less scarier.

To be human is to be shaped by people and experiences that we do not always choose. Therapy begins with meeting the client where they are, and creating space for the story that has brought them there–in the way and pace that feels possible for them. Sometimes this means finding the language to tell their story; other times, it means simply sitting with what has yet to be said. It is respecting what is, until they are ready to make room and open new doors for what can be.

I see my role as being a companion to my clients as they navigate their inner worlds, make sense of their experiences, learn new tools, build a foundation they can stand on, and gain agency over their own story.

Ultimately, psychotherapy is a space to come home to oneself–one step, one story, one session at a time.

In my experience, therapy has always been a space where we can slow down and become curious about ourselves. We often come into therapy wanting something to change: a feeling to go away, a problem to be solved, or a part of ourselves to be different. I believe, though, that there is value in first learning to stay with what is there. Together, we can begin to explore where these feelings come from, what they may be trying to tell us, and how our experiences have shaped the way we see ourselves and the world around us.

I think of my role as someone who accompanies you through that process. I may help you notice patterns, ask questions, make connections, or sit with you when there are no easy answers. At times, our work may go beyond talking, allowing us to revisit and work through experiences in the safety of the present moment. Therapy is not about becoming a version of yourself that you are supposed to be. Rather, it’s about discovering yourself more deeply, including the parts that may be painful, confusing, contradictory, or difficult to accept. With greater understanding, we can learn to hold these parts of ourselves differently. Sometimes healing means making room for these different parts, understanding what they have carried, and allowing them to find their place within the larger story of who we are.

My hope is that, over time, you may leave therapy not because life has become free of difficulty, but because you have come to know yourself better and feel more able to face what life brings. I believe that, sometimes, the only way out is through; not by avoiding the difficult parts of ourselves or our experiences, but by learning to face, understand, and move through them. I cannot walk that path for you, but I can walk alongside you while you find your own way forward.

I believe that early intervention can create meaningful opportunities for a child’s growth and development. When concerns are recognized and addressed early, children can receive support during important stages of their learning, emotional development, and social growth. I recognize that every child develops at their own pace and has a unique combination of strengths and needs.

I also believe that early intervention should support not only the child but the whole family. I value collaborating with families and other professionals to help them understand the child’s needs, build upon their strengths, and feel prepared for the journey ahead. My goal is to help children navigate the world with greater confidence while empowering their families to guide, support, and advocate for them along the way.

Likewise, I believe that meaningful support begins with recognizing the existing strengths, abilities, and resources of each individual and family. Rather than focusing only on challenges, I aim to create a respectful and collaborative space where clients feel heard, understood, and actively involved in the process. Through clear information, compassionate guidance, and practical support, I hope to help clients and families better understand their experiences, recognize their capacity for growth, and make informed decisions. Ultimately, I want them to move forward feeling hopeful, confident, and capable of advocating for their needs.

I anchor my work in the belief that being present can expand the capacity to see and understand others with greater empathy and compassion. My own journey with reconnecting with myself powers this philosophy, which I also bring to Life Ready. I hope to make the clinic a safe space where people can reach out and take their next step.

I adhere to the saying, “Someone, somewhere, may be counting on the door staying open for them.” As people have kept doors open for me, I also want to offer that kind of gesture if it means helping out at least one other person in need.

As I continue my own journey of becoming, I hope to bring the same care and intention into my work–helping clients feel informed, heard, and gently guided as they navigate their mental health journey with Life Ready.

I like helping people, and I like taking on new and challenging tasks–two points that intersect with Life Ready’s mission when it comes to mental health. Since I’m also driven by the vision of having affordable and accessible quality mental health care in the Philippines, I find that this is a great training ground to start and kick off this path.

In a time when indifference seems to be the easier way out, I’ve always held onto the part of me that values making a difference, especially here in my hometown of Davao. I like to think that we work with people first, and as a clinical assistant, I get to hear about people’s different stories and struggles, and be part of their journey of healing. I believe that healing in this aspect for the people is an integral part for our country to move forward in its own development.

I believe that working with children and teens, especially those with special needs, begins with connection, curiosity, and trust. I want the center to feel like a wonderland–a welcoming space where children and families can experience something new, engaging, and fun.

I see each encounter at the center as intricately and as fulfilling as a cup of coffee. Every journey begins with the first pour: taking the time to build rapport and understand each child before beginning the session. Like coffee blooming with every pour, trust grows through patience, warmth, and genuine connection.

From that first pour, I walk alongside the child and their parents–making the process clear, meaningful, and reassuring, while creating an experience where every child is given the space and opportunity to bloom.

I hold myself to a high standard of professionalism, while cultivating a space where clients and their f families feel genuinely welcomed, respected, and supported. To me, warmth and structure are not competing values–they complement one another, allowing for both openness and consistency in practice.

My aim is for clients to experience being met with enthusiasm and comfort, rather than reluctance with every clinic visit. I believe learning is most effective when it is enjoyable and purposefully connected to a child’s long-term independence, achieving a thoughtful balance between structured learning and moments of leisure.

Each student is valuable and precious, and I am to guide them in their progress meaningfully as I integrate their interests, learning styles, and goals into every learning opportunity. I also believe that close collaboration with parents remains a valuable part of this work and a key factor in achieving the best possible outcomes. Thus, I look forward to an integrated experience, not only for the learners, but also their support system. After all, it does take a village to raise and uphold a child.

Compassion and empathy ground my practice, even in a clinical and structured facet of mental health like standardized assessment. Every client interface I experience as a clinical assistant is an avenue to hold a compassionate space for clients. Behind every referral is a family seeking answers, and I aim to create a space where parents feel deeply heard and children feel safe, valued, and empowered.

Evaluations and testing make up the backbone of understanding a person’s strengths and potentials, so I strive to make the journey a smooth and transparent experience. After all, if we want to make mental health accessible and a staple in the Filipino consciousness, it begins with making every process and session clear and easy to navigate.