Attachment-based Therapists in Torrance, CA

I have extensive experience in helping clients overcome all forms of anxiety, including panic, obsessive-compulsive disorders, past trauma and abuse, and the depression that can often result. I am also passionate about working with individuals and couples to help resolve relational challenges and navigate issues related to life and career transitions. Additional areas of specialization include infidelity, grief/loss, chronic illness, and spiritual concerns. I offer an accepting environment in which you can feel known, understood, and honored for the unique person you were created to be individually and in relationship with others.

Do you find yourself struggling with anxiety, depression, grief, self-esteem, identity, and difficult life transitions? Do you find yourself feeling stuck and can’t seem to focus or move forward? There are many ways to get unstuck, and this is the work I love to do to help you heal, grow and live a more fulfilling life. I use an integrative approach including attachment-based work, DBT, CBT, IFS, and mindfulness, bringing in each as needed. Above all, I strive to hold space and empathy for your life experience.

My therapeutic approach mainly focuses on helping my clients identify their strengths to help alleviate anxiety, depression, and trauma. I am a firm believer that our childhood experiences contribute to our beliefs, behavioral patterns, and selecting a romantic partner. Therapy is a process! To allow ourselves to be intimate and vulnerable with someone about our experiences and trauma can be daunting. As a therapist, it is my goal to help validate, create a safe environment and help understand aspects of lived experiences.

I firmly believe that everyone is capable of growth, and it is my desire as a therapist to create a warm, empathic, and nonjudgemental environment where this growth can happen. We all experience challenges, and we are all deserving of the time it takes to heal. I want to partner with you and remind you that you are not alone, and help you navigate a path towards healing in a space where you feel safe, understood, and validated. It is through a strong therapeutic relationship that I work together with individuals and couples as they heal, grow, explore, and find meaning in their journey.

Is anxiety preventing you from realizing what you want to do—or are capable of doing—with your life? Are you hesitant to go after what truly makes you happy because you underestimate your gifts or abilities? Perhaps speaking up in a way that maintains your own dignity and that of others is what you are wanting. Still others work with me because they experience a sense of validation and empowerment with the things they have experienced — whether it be mystical, hard to explain spiritual events or stressful/traumatic religious experiences.

I ask questions that guide your self discovery process. Whether you are going through a divorce, feeling stuck in your life or just wanting to improve the level of personal fulfillment, I will build your skills so you can reach your goals if you choose.

I'm a Licensed Psychologist based in California. I received a Master’s degree from the University of Southern California (USC) and my doctorate from Alliant University. I have a specialty in forensic psychology and have been practicing for 5 years in the field. I help young adults and adults struggling with life transitions, grief, psychosis, criminal behavior, interpersonal concerns and relationship concerns.

Eliza McKenna, LCSW, based in California, from the east coast. I'm a mom and hobby gardener and artist. I approach my practice with Humanism and strive to co-create insight and transformation with clients. I've worked on helplines, in child protection, with the seriously mentally ill, and as a psychotherapist in psychiatric clinics. In addition to private practice, I help run an Employee Assistance Program, and manage a number of employee health programs. My approach to providing therapy moves through the four noble truths. We diagnose the suffering and identify its cause.

Are you going through internal struggle due to trauma? Do you feel anxious and depressed about the future? Do you struggle with family issues and relationship issues? I’m willing to meet you where you are, help you process unwanted thoughts and emotions, and help develop an action plan to effectively cultivate your healing and growth. I’m here to help you explore unresolved feelings (anxiety, depression, anger, helplessness, grief, etc.) and develop skills to effectively cope with them. Thus, you can feel relieved and fulfilled in your relationship with yourself and others.

I have an extensive background in providing psychotherapy for individual adults, couples, adolescents and traditional as well as non-traditional families from various ethnic, cultural, religious and socio-economic backgrounds. I believe that everyone has strengths and all the ingredients to acquire self-love, peace and happiness. My job is to help a client tap into those strengths and ingredients. My job is to provide a platform for which clients can begin to identify and experience healthy ways to be in a relationship with others and themselves.

I know it’s not easy to ask for help. The truth is, everyone feels stuck at some point in our lives and that’s completely normal. We are relational beings and aren’t meant to navigate these challenges alone. Finding a therapist who you connect with is a brave decision that can truly change your outlook on life. Maybe you are struggling with what seems to be an unsolvable problem and are tired of feeling the way that you do. Maybe you feel lonely, unheard, or frustrated in your interpersonal relationship.

BRING ME YOUR BROKEN HEART. Suddenly alone, feel you're sinking? Hopes and dreams washed away? Afraid you'll never feel safe again? Have you lost not only a life partner, but also a piece of yourself? I'll help you heal your broken heart and find your beat. MEND A RUPTURED RELATIONSHIP while honoring yourself and nurturing what you value. CREATE BALANCE in a time of stress. COPE with the challenges of triggered by the pandemic. FEEL RELEIF from gnawing anxiety or draining depression. KNOW that you are not alone, for you can GROW, BETTER, WITH SUPPORT.

Are you struggling with anxiety and trauma and turning towards unhealthy coping mechanisms in an attempt to manage your emotions? Now is a trying time for almost everyone, and if you have a trauma background what's coming up in the current environment may be reminiscent of the stress, isolation, and fear induced by early childhood experiences. You don't have to handle this alone, and with clinically tested techniques to regulate the mind and body, it's possible to shift from a place of disempowerment to strength.

Are you dealing with unwanted feelings such as sadness, anger, fear, and loneliness? Do you feel these emotions are interfering with your daily activities, relationships, or professional growth? As humans, it's natural to experience many emotions, some of which can seem overwhelming, even isolating. Neglecting your emotional well-being and not taking time for self-care can potentially lead to mental and physical complications. In our current times, many individuals are grappling with the weight of managing their emotions, relationships, careers & overall lives.

I have predominantly worked with adolescents and adults in communities who wouldn’t normally have access to therapy. I have experience working as a behavioral Interventionist treating children who have developmental disorders. My treatment focuses are clients experiencing depression, anxiety, college/career choices, cultural stressors, relational stress, and major life adjustments.

It can be hard to make the decision to start therapy, and equally as hard to stick to it. This is one of the primary reasons I became a therapist, to help those who’ve struggled with conventional methods. My experience has had a big impact on how I’ve structured clinical practice, leading me to throw the proverbial couch out the window and go with a more direct, accountability-based approach. Whether you’re working on processing a negative self-image, relationship difficulty, career stressors, or other symptoms related to anxiety or depression, we’ll always be working to build mindfulness, purpose, and intention towards your goals.

Feeling stuck? Do you feel as if you have lost control over your life? Have you found it hard getting in touch with your authentic self? There is a tremendous power that lives within you, and I would like to help you find that. You can learn to master your vision through the power of your mind. Feel your best, be your best, and live your best life now. <!-- Professional verification provided by Psychology Today --> <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/359747" class="sx-verified-se

Sometimes, when faced with many of life's challenges, we can find it difficult to reach out. Often fear or shame get in the way of asking for help. But there is hope. Working with a therapist, you can begin to feel validated and discover that you are not alone. Do you have a fear of abandonment or fear of intimacy? One or the other can mean you're either a Love Addict or Love Avoidant. I can teach you how to love yourself instead of looking for it in someone else, and bring down your walls and be relational.

Do you find yourself shut down or suppress your feelings? Do you struggle in relationships due to your trauma? Are you unsure of where you belong? I work with people of all identities to process unresolved feelings due to trauma. I strive to provide you a safe and non-judgmental space, in order for you to develop coping mechanisms for trauma symptoms (anxiety, depression, addiction, etc.) and to explore aspects of yourself. I can help you let go of past HURTS and develop tools to find RELIEF.