Attachment-based Therapists in 91604

I specialize in the evidence-based treatment of Anxiety Disorders, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Trauma, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  I am trained in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP), Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), attachment-based therapy, and mindfulness-based approaches.

Have you been struggling with an ongoing theme that interferes with your ability to establish or maintain healthy relationships? Are you overwhelmed with feelings of anxiety or deep sadness? Has a sudden event left you feeling hopeless and fearful? My belief is that people are genuinely good and resourceful. Through thoughtful questioning and exploration, I help you to identify the origins and meanings of the issues that have led you to seek therapy. Together, we find ways to access the tools, strengths, and resources needed to promote wellness in your life.

I love to help clients navigate uncertainty and instability. I specialize in sex therapy & anxiety. I work from a holistic and attachment -based approach on issues such as life transitions, grief & loss, sexual trauma, relationship and intimacy concerns (desire discrepancy) and sexual dysfunction. Due to my background working as a sexual assault advocate, my area of expertise is with clients who have experienced difficult or dysfunctional past sexual experiences and are looking to work toward integrating and reclaiming their sexual identities and pleasure in order to move toward healing and overall well- being.

I believe that the relationship that you have with your therapist is essential for change. Finding a good fit can be hard, but I'm here to help you through that process. We will work together to help you better understand yourself so you can see things more clearly and uncover opportunities to move through challenges, conflicts, trauma, and anxiety. Gaining insight into how the patterns from your past impact your daily experience is an important tool for meaningful change. Together, we will collaborate to identify and resolve challenges, and deepen awareness so you can move forward to your best self.

Whether you are coming to therapy to heal, grieve, recover or rediscover- it would be a privilege to journey with you this season. I hope to provide you with compassionate and caring support as we explore and process your story together. I have over 15 years of experience and have worked with a wide range of individuals from college students to older adults, creative professionals to family caregivers.

How would it feel to embody your whole self? What would it be like to welcome the parts of you that haven’t been embraced and discover who you are at your core? Without this knowledge you may feel anxious, depressed, insecure, and like an imposter in your own life. Yet, when you know yourself deeply, you can move through work, engage in relationships, and respond to challenges with confidence, stability, and vitality. I specialize in facilitating this work: to empower you to know your own heart and mind and make decisions that honor who you are. Let’s awaken the truest you.

Find Your Center: Many of us today feel disconnected. Our days are filled with a steady stream of obligations and desires. We call that: ‘life.’ Directing our unique path in a proactive way can bring new meaning to our lives. Collaboratively, we'll find a path that leads to your truest self and to the person you want to become. Building Relationships: Cultivating intimacy with others requires developing intimacy with oneself. With compassion and guidance it is possible to learn to love oneself and, in turn, love others more deeply.

Kids in our communities today are stressed. Major social issues from racial and environmental injustice to economic precarity cast a daily shadow over their lives. The social dislocation and isolation of the pandemic has made a difficult situation worse. This situation has led to an epidemic of anxiety and depression among young people. More subtly it has also led to feelings of fragility and powerlessness even among kids who are “doing well”. Parents, themselves stressed out, overworked, and far from their families of origin want to help but don’t know how.

Life is full of various transitions, both expected and unexpected. One can feel pushed to deny or resist these inevitable changes or can begin to take steps to learn, adapt, and adjust to them. I believe everyone has inner strengths that can be awakened in challenging times and therapy can work as a catalyst for change. I have been privileged to journey with individuals who learned to envision their desired lives and to find ways to fulfill them. I have also journeyed with those managing seemingly insurmountable challenges, steadily guiding them toward finding peace in the midst of challenges and eventually overcoming them.

I understand how difficult it is to feel anxious, sad, or depressed, and how those feelings can impact the relationships in your life. You do not have to face these challenges alone. My work as a therapist centers on providing empathy, understanding, and a safe place where you can openly express your thoughts and feelings. Together, we will process how the experiences and relationships in your life have affected your mood, your happiness, the way you communicate with others, and more importantly, the way you view yourself.

I believe we are all equipped with the resources to navigate our way to fulfillment. Sometimes life's challenges overwhelm us and we need some extra support. Sometimes hurts from long ago arise and get in our way. I will guide you in uncovering your inner strengths by providing a safe environment where we will engage in meaningful conversations about your emotional life. By exploring areas of both dissatisfaction and contentment, and unraveling problematic ideas, we can alleviate your pain and work towards gratification.

I specialize in helping artists, writers, journalists, authors, musicians, actors, filmmakers and creative people from all walks of life to rediscover and reconnect with their passion and creativity. As a writer myself, I understand how artistic pursuits can bring up unexpected connections and challenges in our personal lives and vice versa. It would be a privilege to work together toward a more balanced, robust, and hopeful existence. Let me be your guide & support as we build essential coping skills, explore the past & develop tools and resources to turn daydreams into reality now and in the future. I look forward to meeting you!

Is your relationship hurting right now? It's so hard to keep the closeness and loving feelings when you're not communicating, or there's been hurt. Though you may be feeling discouraged, or even doubtful that you can repair, don't give up hope on your relationship. I will help you learn ways to talk without fighting and to start feeling heard. If there have been injuries to your trust, I will help you find healing together. Couples can create stronger and closer relationships than they ever thought possible. Call or schedule online your free initial consultation and start healing today!

I believe in the transformative power of therapy to address problematic behaviors, beliefs, feelings, and conflicts within relationships. Taking this courageous step can lead to creating healthier versions of oneself by navigating painful emotions and enhancing self-worth and relationships.

Therapy works, and people can change. Living in a world that is highly relational, we often find that our toughest psychological problems are rooted in systemic relationship issues. I work with individuals and couples who are interested in developing healthier connections with themselves and with others. In order to make healthy relationships with others possible, one must foster a healthy relationship with oneself. In developing psychological health in ourselves, we become better able to interact with others in a way that does not cause us deep pain and ongoing frustration.

Do any of these sound familiar? You are constantly “on” and have a hard time relaxing. You want to do it all and have difficulty saying no. You have achieved a lot and have the external signs of success. Yet, you continue to feel anxious and not good enough inside. You’re aware of having emotional wounds that impact the way you view yourself and show up in your relationships. You understand the “why” behind your responses, yet you continue to feel troubled by distressing past events and cope in ways that are no longer effective. If any of these statements with you, you are not alone, and therapy can help.

Do you wake up feeling depressed dreading to get through another day? Do you try to fill the void in your life with sensation-seeking behaviors: alcohol, drugs, food, sex, shopping, TV, video games, internet surfing, online gaming, gambling etc.? Have you lost touch with the aspirations and dreams that used to motivate and inspire you? Are your relationships troubled? I can help! Seeking therapy takes courage and the prospect of talking to a stranger can be intimidating. I relate to the discomfort you may experience and provide a confidential, non-judgmental, supportive space to work with you.

Providing quality care of adults, children, adolescents, and families, including parenting and co-parenting. I am a licensed marriage and family therapist and board certified clinical art therapist. I earned by masters degree in marriage and family therapy and clinical art therapy from Loyola Marymount University in 1996. I have extensive experience working with adults, children, adolescents and their families with a variety of social, emotional and behavioral difficulties in the home, school and community environments. I also have experience working with parent education, parenting, and parents in conflict, divorce, custody and therapeutic supervised visitations.

My specialty is building relationships and making clients feel safe in a space to share. I focus on 1:1 ,couples, families and groups. I am always looking to balance solution focused sessions with underlying clinical issues. Helping clients feel like they can get some relief early on in therapy is a priority. Anxiety, depression, addiction, family relation issues, life transitions and Covid are just some areas of work are that are my specialty. Whether you are comfortable free flow talking or need a more interview style, I am comfortable doing both. I also specialize in young adult and dual diagnosis.