My story

My path to psychiatry started with my mom, who was a doctor in the Philippines but had to leave her career in order to move our family to the U.S. and pursue new opportunities. Once we settled in South Texas, I spent my teen years very involved in youth ministry and growing in my faith. In turn, I actively served the youth after me when I was in college, and I even considered becoming a full-time missionary after graduation. I ultimately decided to go to medical school, in part to carry on my mom’s dream of becoming a doctor. But as I progressed through my medical training, it was in psychiatry that the doctor and the minister crossed paths and allowed me to carve my own path to serve others holistically—mind, body, and spirit. 

Mental health difficulties also found their way into my own life. My husband is an Air Force veteran with over 14 years of service in 3 war-zone deployments during our first years of marriage. His struggle with PTSD gave me a first-hand look into the far-reaching impact of psychiatric illness on individuals and families. My husband and I also struggled with infertility for many years, and the hopelessness and devastation of this situation led to my own battle with depression. We are very gratefully blessed with our three children, and they are our motivation to continue to take care of our mental health and be emotionally present for our kids.

After finishing my psychiatry training in 2019, I was part of a pediatric group as an in-house child psychiatrist until 2022. I worked closely with my patients’ pediatricians to care for them both body and mind. I also started my private practice, with several patients from my fellowship and the pediatric group choosing to continue to work with me after I left. Many of them are now young adults, and it has been an honor for me to witness them push through, overcome, and thrive in spite of their mental health challenges. It is my hope to continue to walk alongside many others from trial to triumph throughout my professional career.

On a lighter note, when I am not in the office, I can be found homeschooling our children, spending time together as a family, watching and playing tennis, expanding my knowledge about personal finance, and going on Disney vacations!