About Stef
I was born and raised in the Bay Area and live in Oakland, CA with my pit bull, Bubs.
Growing up, I was a competitive horseback rider. It was my entire world—seven days a week, holidays, weekends, you name it, I was at the barn or at a three-day competition. I still credit that part of my life with teaching me the kind of dedication I bring to pretty much everything I do.
I’ve always been a creator at heart. I found makeup early on and was drawn to self-expression through color, identity, and transformation. That curiosity eventually expanded into a deeper interest in people—the way we think, cope, and make meaning of our lives.
Podcasting felt like a natural extension of that. I wanted to create a space that felt low-barrier, inclusive, and real—something you don’t have to earn access to. No walls, no pressure. Just a place to show up as you are.
My Therapist Said is where all of those pieces come together: mental health, storytelling, advocacy, humor, and conversations about the things we don’t always know how to say out loud.
See you there. 💌
Education & Experience
I hold an undergraduate degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Counseling, with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy. I’m licensed in California as both a Marriage and Family Therapist and Professional Clinical Counselor.
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Before My Therapist Said became my full-time focus, I spent years working across addiction treatment, community mental health, reentry, and private practice—including leadership roles in nonprofit treatment programs and work within the prison system.
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That experience shapes the work I do today. I’ve seen mental health care from inside the systems designed to provide it—the people doing incredible work, the people struggling to access it, and the barriers that make it harder for everyone.
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Now, I use that perspective to tell stories, ask better questions, and advocate for a mental health system that works better for the people receiving care and the people providing it.