About Eliot

I have a bit of an unconventional story of entering the mental health field. After coming out as the first openly transgender musician in a major American orchestra (the amazing San Francisco Symphony) in 2017 and in light of a host of ongoing social battles for human dignity and my own history, I've decided to pursue my long-term passion for social justice advocacy and anti-oppressive mental health counseling. 

Since then, I've built on my professional experiences serving LGTBQ+, ethnic minority, multicultural/immigrant, and people with (dis)abilities, my lived experience as a part of these communities, and my graduate training from Columbia University and University of California, San Francisco to bring anti-oppressive, person-centered, culturally attuned practices into therapy and to support people in accessing our inherent wisdom and wholeness.

​

Prior to my current trainee position with the UCSF Alliance Health Project, I interned with the UCSF Women's HIV Program. In 2021, I worked at the SF LGBT Center where I supported the well-being of sexually and gender diverse folx ages 18-24 experiencing homelessness. In 2020, I worked as a mental health counselor in a Medi-Cal-funded residential setting with the Progress Foundation, and as a counselor/care manager with the San Francisco Community Health Center serving HIV+ trans and queer people experiencing homelessness (among other barriers). For more details, please see my resume here.

​

If you’re curious about what I did as a musician, here’s a little more of the story.