Wellness Wave Wisdom

By Rachel Benson, LMFT Rachel received her Masters's Degree in Counseling Psychology and specialized in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) with Distinction. She is originally from Hong Kong, and she speaks several languages, including Cantonese and Mandarin. Rachel is certified in Brainspotting, and trained in Play Therapy, sand tray therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Gottman Couples Therapy . When a craving arises, try imagining it as an ocean wave.  Notice where you feel the craving in your body, from head to toe. Is there tightness in your chest, tension in your stomach, or a feeling of constriction in your throat? Gently take a few slow, deep breaths and observe the sensation with curiosity. You do not need to fight the craving or give in to it; simply pause and allow yourself to notice it. As the craving begins to settle, practice the 54321 grounding exercise by identifying 5 things you can see, pause; 4 things you can touch, pause; 3 things you ...

By Dianna Lopez, Mental Health Counseling Intern Dianna earned her Bachelor’s in Psychology with a minor in Business from UCSD, and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at USD. As a first-generation college student, she is passionate about spreading awareness of mental health services as a necessary resource for all individuals, along with breaking down the stigma surrounding therapy, especially in minority cultures. In her counseling sessions, Dianna focuses on creating a welcoming environment where anyone can come in and feel heard, and uses cognitive behavioral interventions to build a collaborative space and work to shift unhelpful thoughts. Summertime calls for fun times in the sun. Sometimes, the fear of missing out (FOMO) can make it difficult to say no to substances or activities that don’t align with your comfort level. Large crowds can bring on social anxiety, sensory overload, or pressure to fit in. It is okay to take a break, leave ...

by Nidya Ramirez Ibarra, LMFT Nidya Ramirez Ibarra is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who grew up in Escondido, CA. An immigrant and past community organizer, Nidya utilizes her knowledge and years of experience as a therapist to co-create a space to initiate change, gain insight, build skills, and establish support. Prior to joining the mental health team at MiraCosta College, among Nidya’s experiences was working for 8 years at a local non-profit with families, individuals, and children struggling with trauma due to intimate partner violence and sexual abuse. In addition to working with students in individual, relationship, and family counseling sessions, Nidya also facilitates MiraCosta’s support activities for undocumented/ mixed status students and their loved ones. The common idea about abusive relationships is a picture of something visible or loud, like screaming or physical violence. However, many unhealthy and abusive relationships do not ...

  Practicing Harm Reduction in substance use and process/behavioral addictions By Jesus Mendez Carbajal, APCC Jesus is a bilingual (Spanish/English) Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC) who holds a B.A. in Chicana/o Studies with a minor in Women’s Studies, and an M.S. in Counseling from SDSU’s Community Based Block (CBB) Multicultural Community Counseling and Social Justice Education Program. Jesus understands that while the issues people face are personally experienced, they’re also connected to systems of power, privilege and oppression and their impact extends beyond the self. Overall, Jesus is a passionate life-long student of healing, plant knowledge, emotional wellness, mental health, and spirituality. It’s ok if you don’t want to stop using a substance or stop a behavior--unless you’re causing harm to minors, dependent adults or elderly adults. Working with the assumption that one is not actively causing harm to others, can we sit with the reality that we don’t w...

By Tammah Watts(she), LMFT 111562 Tammah is a licensed therapist certified as a SMART Recovery Facilitator, Domestic Violence Advocate, Kripalu Mindful Outdoor Guide and Clinical Trauma Professional. She provides individual, relationship, and family counseling, and facilitates Health Services’ Recovery Group. As we come to the end of the Spring semester -first, CONGRATULATIONS for making it through! It's also a good time to consider what your recovery support will look like during the summer. To help you stay grounded and focused on your recovery goals -Consider these Tips and Tools and attendance at meetings -in person or online, local or national. Below, you'll find Resources to continue your recovery journey in ways that fit best including apps, meetings online and in-person, and more. Recovery Mutual Support Groups Don’t give up on recovery if one type of support group doesn’t work for you. Try another one! Secular and Non-12-Step Groups SMART Recovery (Self-Management and ...

  By Dorian Owens Dorian Owens is a graduate student at San Diego State University, pursuing a Master’s in Counseling through the Community-Based Block (CBB) Program, focusing on multicultural counseling and social justice. Dorian's approach to mental health care is rooted in humanistic, trauma-informed, and client-centered practices, emphasizing support for marginalized communities, particularly BIPOC populations. When people hear the term Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), they often picture physical harm. But for many college students, IPV can show up in quieter, less visible ways especially through emotional abuse. And because it doesn’t leave bruises, it’s often overlooked or misunderstood. What is Emotional Abuse? Emotional abuse is a pattern of behaviors used to control, manipulate, or undermine a partner’s sense of self. It can include constant criticism, gaslighting (making someone question their reality), jealousy, controlling who you see or talk to, or making you feel guil...

By Abigail (Abby) Burd, LCSW, LCS 26867 Full-Time Faculty / Licensed Mental Health Counselor Abby is a bilingual (English/Spanish) clinical social worker with over 25 years experience in mental health. Abby is trained as a trainer in creating LGBTQIA+ safe zones, suicide prevention, and mindfulness. Abby has been a clinical supervisor on campuses and through her private practice since 2008, guiding the next generation of pre-licensed social workers, marriage and family therapists and clinical counselors. She is a culturally-humble, integrative clinician, drawing upon Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solutions-Focused Therapy, mindfulness, and trauma-informed approaches. Abby is certified in Brainspotting (a somatic therapy for trauma and more) and Perinatal Mental Health. Let’s talk about something simple that gets overlooked when we talk about alcohol: personal rules. Not rules in the punitive sense. Not rules that are about judgment or “good” and “bad” beha...

By Ilan Navah (he), Mental Health Counselor Ilan Navah is a graduate student at Bastyr University, pursuing a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Holistic Nursing from California State Polytechnic University and brings over 13 years of diverse nursing experience including emergency medicine, public health, hospice, and integrative medicine. Guided by a belief in the mind–body–spirit connection, Ilan takes a holistic, integrative approach to care, supporting individuals in cultivating wholeness and well-being. In many communities, substance use is often seen as a matter of poor choices or lack of discipline. Gabor Maté, a physician and author who has worked closely with people struggling with addiction, offers a different way to understand it. He suggests that substance use is often connected to emotional pain, stress, and past trauma. In this view, addiction is not only about the substance. It is also about a person trying to cope with difficult...

By Julie Choi Trepkau (she), AMFT 147728 Julie is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) who holds a Master's in Counseling from National University, and is dedicated to supporting individuals from diverse populations as they navigate life’s challenges, including anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, and relationship concerns.   Julie’s background is in yoga and education, having taught yoga internationally for over two decades as well as elementary school in Encinitas.       Understanding the bidirectional relationship between trauma, shame, and substance use helps explain why substances are often used as a way to cope. Shame can be described as an intense, deeply negative feeling about oneself, often tied to beliefs of worthlessness or inadequacy. It is closely linked to a range of unhealthy coping strategies, including substance use. Research has shown a strong connection between trauma—particularly experiences rooted in Adverse Childhood Ex...

By Daykia Knight (she) Mental Health Counselor, under the supervision of Ghada Osman LMFT 83472 Daykia is a Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate student at the University of San Diego with a strong commitment to culturally responsive, trauma-informed care. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Washington, where she began exploring how systems of oppression shape emotional well-being. That foundation continues to inform her clinical lens today. Guided by Feminist Theory and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Daykia integrates values-based behavioral work with a deep understanding of racial, gendered, and intergenerational trauma. She believes healing must address not only the individual but also the sociocultural forces that often go unrecognized yet deeply impact mental health. We currently live in a political climate that justifies the disproportionate punishment and criminalization of people of color, particularly those of undocumented status. Fighting thr...

By Abigail (Abby) Burd, LCSW, LCS 26867 Full-Time Faculty / Licensed Mental Health Counselor Abby is a bilingual (English/Spanish) clinical social worker with over 25 years experience in mental health. Abby is trained as a trainer in creating LGBTQIA+ safe zones, suicide prevention, and mindfulness. Abby has been a clinical supervisor on campuses and through her private practice since 2008, guiding the next generation of pre-licensed social workers, marriage and family therapists and clinical counselors. She is a culturally-humble, integrative clinician, drawing upon Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Motivational Interviewing, Solutions-Focused Therapy, mindfulness, and trauma-informed approaches. Abby is certified in Brainspotting (a somatic therapy for trauma and more) and Perinatal Mental Health. The New Year is a popular time to “reset” our drinking habits, especially after an indulgent holiday season. Have you ever set a New Year's Resolution to stop or cut back on drinking? Many p...

By Tammah Watts, LMFT Tammah is a licensed therapist certified as a SMART Recovery Facilitator, Domestic Violence Advocate, Kripalu Mindful Outdoor Guide and Clinical Trauma Professional. She provides individual, relationship, and family counseling, and facilitates Health Services’ Recovery Group. Many of you are in the final stretch of the semester and all that comes with this time of year -preparing for and taking your finals and completing other assignments; the holidays are in full swing and plans you may or may not have with family and friends. To help you staying grounded and focused on your recovery goals - Consider these Tips and Tools and attendance at meetings -in person or online, local or national . This email is a tradition now -a final one (pun intended) for the end of the Fall semester. You'll find Resources for you to continue your recovery journey in ways that fit best. Recovery Mutual Support Groups Don’t give up on recovery if one type of support group doesn’t wo...