Grace started her journey in the mental health field in 2023 at La Europa Academy, where she worked as a Residential Youth Mentor, Team Lead, and Shift Supervisor. From early on, Grace knew she had found a passion for working with teens and decided she wanted to grow her career at La Europa.
Grace earned her bachelor's degree in Human Development & Family Studies from the University of Hawaiʻi in 2021. After moving back to Utah from Oʻahu, Grace was inspired by her experience at La Europa and felt motivated to pursue her Master of Social Work at Boise State University. During graduate school, she held various internships with both the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare's Case Management team and at a children and adolescent play therapy counseling center in Boise, Idaho.
Grace believes therapy works best when people feel comfortable enough to show up exactly as they are. Her goal in her practice is to create a space where teens feel seen, supported, and comfortable being themselves. Grace understands that the teenage years can be exciting, overwhelming, messy, and everything in between, and has found a deep passion for helping them navigate those challenges while building confidence, resilience, and skills they can carry into adulthood.
Her approach is warm, collaborative, and grounded in genuine connection. She primarily uses both Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in her sessions. Grace is especially passionate about working with those struggling with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and self-worth, emotional regulation, and varying degrees of trauma. Like La Europa as a whole, Grace strives to create an affirming space where LGBTQ+ youth feel safe, respected, and celebrated for exactly who they are.
Outside of work, you'll usually find her planning her next trip, going to a concert, or spending time with her family, friends, and her Old English Sheepdog, Sunny.