Therapists in Culver City, CA

I'm Dr. Dean Leav, licensed psychologist and qualified medical evaluator (QME). I've been featured on NBC, KCAL, HLN, and other programs as an expert psychologist. I provide Evaluation Services, including (and not limited to): diagnostics (ADHD, Autism, Learning Dis.), cognitive/neuropsychological evaluations, workers' compensation (QME/AME), immigration-related evaluations, pre-adoption psychological evaluations, parenting/bonding assessments, drug & alcohol evaluations, pre-employment evaluations, and legal/forensics/criminal evaluations. These evaluations may be used to meet eligibility for certain services or accommodations.

I believe in the power of human connection and the positive impact of seeing the world through the lens of another as well as the importance of feeling heard, understood, and seen. I feel grateful to be able to connect with others while helping to guide them to the best version of themselves, whatever that may look like. I understand how challenging it can be to reach out for support and to begin the process of therapy, so I strive to meet you where you are and maintain a safe and comfortable environment throughout our time together. I look forward to getting to know each other and working together in order to reach your goals.

Are you desperate to feel love and connection in your relationship while feeling hopeless and alone? Do you feel anxious or sad? Maybe you want to strengthen your relationship? Do you want to have greater communication and understanding? Maybe your relationship needs a shift to create change and healing? Are you tired of suffering and being in pain? If so, I would like to collaborate and help you with your relationship or individually while empowering you to live your best life!

What I know more than anything else is that you are the expert of yourself and you have access to an unlimited source of wisdom within you. I am here to hold the lantern as you explore and (re)discover the resources that live within. Are you constantly overthinking, overanalyzing, anxious, or worried? Are you having a difficult time managing the many challenges that have come over the last few years? Do you find yourself falling back into the same patterns repeatedly, even after resolving to change? Do you want to change aspects of your life, but feel stuck and unsure how to get there? You are in the right place.

My clients usually approach me when they are ready to make a change in their lives. They are experiencing conflicts, inside themselves or with others, and are looking for an empathic, flexible and dynamic clinician to provide support and guidance. Hello, I am Shannon Pole, a Licensed Marriage and Family therapist in private practice (virtual/telehealth therapy) at KCW Psychological Services. I am focused on helping individuals with anxiety, stress, trauma, depression, self-esteem, interpersonal relationships (family, platonic, romantic), work-life/school-life balance, and life transitions.

I am a LMFT and Somatic Experiencing practitioner with over 18 years experience working with adults, families, and adolescents. Using a combination of Somatic Experiencing, Psychodynamic and Relational Therapy, I focus on helping you to become more self-aware in both mind and body, in order to alleviate uncomfortable symptoms you might be feeling. We will address areas you may be feeling stuck, discover underlying causes, and learn ways to relieve these symptoms from the body and better manage the thoughts in our mind. Clients have told me, "You've taught me a more patient way of thinking."

I became a psychotherapist because everyone needs “that person” in their life who will always believe in them, support them, and not judge them based on their past. As we all continue to navigate life’s transitions and changes, there are points where we find ourselves needing extra guidance and support. Whether you are currently thriving or struggling in life, deciding to seek therapy can be a challenging, rewarding, and life-changing experience. As a therapist, I strive to be “that person” by providing a non-judgmental, warm, and compassionate environment that fosters growth.

Are you feeling stuck or unfulfilled in life? Are you finding yourself caught in a pattern of unhealthy relationships? Are you having a hard time understanding your feelings? Do you wish you could develop more confidence in your relationships/career? If this resonates with you, then you’re not alone. Sometimes we may feel locked in unhelpful patterns, and need a little clarity to make a positive shift. If you feel like you are in the gray about yourself and your life, I’m here to bring light to those areas and provide a safe, supportive space for you to explore your struggles and inner experience, and grow your self-awareness.

Whether you are looking to end an addiction, process complex trauma and shame, or overcome your self-limiting beliefs I am here to help. My extensive experience in the field, as well as my own personal work has led me to the understanding that there is a way out. I treat those with depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, ADHD, grief/loss, children of addict/alcoholics, borderline personality, betrayal trauma, sex/porn addiction, and other issues. Through the therapeutic process I can help you to better understand what you have been through and how to overcome your current struggles to live your fullest, best life.

Sometimes things are too big for you to handle alone. Whatever it is that brings you to my door, whatever your lifestyle, your challenges, or your hurts, I'm here to help you change what isn't working. Let's get you to the healthiest, most empowered version of your true self, both individually and in your relationships with others. I welcome individuals and couples, adults and teens, and have an open, collaborative, holistic, proactive style. I can help with anxiety, depression, trauma, loss, self-esteem, spirituality, career planning, and creative/life coaching.

I believe that psychotherapy can be a tool to help someone to increase their self-awareness and promote healing and reparation to the life's pain and struggles. If you would like someone on your side to the new journey of rediscovering who you are and who you want to be, that is my goal. To provide support through this new path with the objective that life will unfold with more joy and happiness.

I provide therapy for adolescents and adults seeking help with issues including parenting, divorce, stress, anxiety, depression, relationships, communication, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, grief, life-changing events, and others. My approach to therapy is to provide a safe, non-judgmental space where you can identify and explore the underlying beliefs driving your behaviors, shaping your habits, and impacting your relationships. Working together using therapeutic approaches such as mindfulness, CBT, narrative therapy, DBT, etc., you will learn to better manage emotions and behaviors, allowing you to meet your own personal goals.

Welcome to my practice. I have about 15 years of clinical experience and have been featured on NBC/KCAL/HLN as an expert psychologist. I work primarily with men who have hit “rock bottom” and would like help getting up. These men are often in crisis when we first meet. The issues I address are typically related to unhealthy sexual behaviors, infidelity, financial recklessness, gambling, drugs/alcohol, dishonesty/lying, and relational conflicts. My therapy approach is a combination of psychoanalytic, cognitive-behavioral, and the 12-Step recovery model. I also share insight from my own painful but redemptive recovery journey.

It's not all in your head! In a culture that marginalizes and dismisses people’s pain based on body-specific experiences and identities, like disability, race, gender, sexuality, size, age, etc, many of us are left needing to feel heard. Here, your stories will be listened to, your experiences validated, and your pain believed. Pain can relegate us to the margins of our own stories. Whether it’s chronic pain felt in your body, the pain of loss connected to illness or infertility, or the pain of being a highly sensitive person or creative, in a culture that doesn’t value those strengths, pain can feel like it renders us powerless.

As a certified (IAAP) Jungian analyst I have a passion to work with three specific groups: 1. Men and women, aged 35 - 65, who are experiencing a Mid - Life Crises/Transition, often accompanied by depression and anxiety, and a loss of meaning in life. 2. Young men and women, aged 19 - 34, who are experiencing a "Quarter Life Crises," searching for a more soulful life in work, relationships and beyond. 3. Therapists who want to incorporate Jungian analysis and dream work into their practices, and also those who may want to enter training to become a Jungian analyst. .

I work equally with clients to create a comfortable and authentic environment to open up a safe space for a rich and productive experience. I enjoy helping biracial couples who might be exploring cultural blending, as well as couples who are finding & building their identity as a couple. I've been successful working with adults who are experiencing depression, anxiety, life stress, relationship/family conflict, self-esteem issues, & C-PTSD. I also work with teens experiencing grief. I am especially passionate about working with the BIPOC community and anyone who identifies as a child of immigrants!

Whether you are struggling with depression, anxiety, addiction, a life transition, family/parenting concerns, or other mental health issues, we are all trying to better understand ourselves and break free of our limiting patterns and beliefs. My approach to therapy involves a strong foundation in formal therapeutic modalities, including CBT, DBT, family systems, and others, while at the same time recognizing that you are the expert of your own life, and it is through the therapeutic process that you will come to gain valuable insights, recognize your potential, and enhance your capacity for self-love.

Have you been in a relationship with someone who has been identified as a narcissist? Did your partner have little concern for your feelings and turn your world upside with chaos, conflict, abuse, and poor boundaries? You wonder what was wrong with you, why did things end this way, and if the universe working against you because people in your life seem unreliable, manipulative, and inconsistent. Distrust of others and pain seem to be your life's theme right now. You long for a safe place to connect with someone who understands.

Heal the past. Be present. Have a future. You are not broken -- you already have the tools you need. My goal is to help you access those tools and remove any obstacles that prevent you from feeling like yourself. Whether you're struggling with old wounds or need support for current life challenges, we'll work together to build on your strengths -- and uncover ones you may not yet know you have.