Therapists in Manhattan Beach, CA

I'm Hilary, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Let's work together to nurture self-compassion, build accountability and finally create lasting change. I provide a safe and nonjudgmental space for self-exploration and gaining insight. With every one of my clients, I work with them to build an individualized toolbox full of strategies for coping with life stressors. Life is hard, therapy can help.

I'm here to help you gain a fresh perspective on what’s going on in your life, past and present, that may be causing you distress. Whether you’re feeling anxious, unhappy, disconnected, or overwhelmed, there is nothing worse than sitting alone with those feelings. So much relief and connection begins with therapy. I approach each session with authenticity and kindness so that clients feel comfortable sharing their hopes, fears, strengths and suffering. From there, I offer evidence-based strategies to help guide clients toward achieving their goals while letting go of patterns that no longer serve them.

You have been working through challenges on your own for quite some time. Family and friends think you are “fine”, but deep inside you are struggling to get through the day to day without breaking down. You're overwhelmed and exhausted by the demands of life and have been trying to change the way you feel, but things do not seem to be different no matter what you do. If you are ready for change and support within your personal life, then you're in the right place. Let's get you back to having peace and meaningful connection within your personal life.

My specialization has been helping women overcome issues that are common among them. These particular areas include overcoming anxiety, panic attacks, self criticism, perfectionism, setting boundaries, relationship conflicts, co-dependency, grief and life transitions. My goal is to provide a safe and accepting environment that will help women break free from their current struggles to gain a life of healing and hope.

You have been living through a stressful and exhausting time. A global pandemic is constantly changing your relationships and the way you live your life. You have also been exposed to an unprecedented amount of collective trauma both within your communities, and on a larger global scale. You're finding it harder to get a good night's rest, and you struggle to find meaning in a world that seems overwhelmingly painful to exist in. You want things to be different, but you don't know how.

I believe psychotherapy to be sacred work that can be immensely healing and transformative. But it requires a genuine interest to confront uncomfortable feelings and beliefs. In my experience, most psychic pain stems from a lack of connection to our authentic selves causing immense suffering that manifests into self-defeating thoughts and addictions, loss of purpose and meaning, and relational trauma. My work with clients is to unravel these self-limiting unconscious processes to gain better insight and live more intentionally with greater purpose and freedom.

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and have been practicing for over 17 years. Specializing in working with children, adolescents, and families from primarily a solution-focused, cognitive behavioral approach, I offer a variety of interventions best matched to fit my client's individual needs. Adept in working with childhood disorders, trauma experiences, grief and loss, anger management, and parenting issues, I strive to look at the "whole picture" and incorporate collaterals and family members, as needed.

Do you believe that there is power in connection? That the healthier we are as individuals, the healthier our relationships are? I believe that it is through connection that we can heal. We must first be able to create a healthy connection with the self to be in healthy contact with others. However, oftentimes challenges such as life transitions, parenting, school, career, anxiety, depression, trauma, and loss may inhibit us from connecting with the self and others.

Individual Somatic Psychotherapy: Do you ever feel stuck in patterns that hold you back? Maybe you've been to therapy and gained insight yet you act in recurrent ways that continually limit you. In my somatic psychotherapy work, I illuminate your body's habitual tendencies, and together we skillfully update or replace them. When embodied patterns are updated toward well-being and practiced enough in the context of therapy, they become new habits and eventually, embodied expectations. When well-being patterns are embodied, habitual, and expected, you tend to experience lasting change.

You are here because you want to live a better life than the one you’re living now.  You maybe feeling sad, anxious, confused or overwhelmed.  You maybe alone and confused by your feelings, and have no one you can really talk to. You feel stuck, you’re tired of doing the same things over and over again. You maybe having a hard time with dating, going through a relationship breakup, getting married or just entering parenthood and feel confused about your feelings and roles and possibly overwhelmed with responsibilities. You may not be communicating well with your spouse. You may not know how to feel or what to do. I can help!

As a psychotherapist, my goal is to help you uncover your true potential and lead a life that is worth celebrating. As individuals progress through life challenges, therapy can be a vital component to navigating relationships, life stresses, and increasing self-understanding. I am trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) therapy-recommended as an effective treatment for disturbing memories, stressor disorders, PTSD, trauma and verbal abuse. Contact me to learn more.

I specialize in couple counseling, relationship dynamics, self-esteem, communication issues, and other issues like trauma, anxiety and ADHD. I work with adults and older teens who feel ready to do deep work. The problem is that most people wait, hoping things will shift on their own...but that rarely works. What I do know is that therapy harnesses the healing power of connection. Together, we can create a shift that leads to a better sense of self, inner peace, and confidence in your relationships, and connection. I LOVE this work and my intention is to hold a space where you can be human with no judgment or shame.

My personal style is down to earth, honest, creative and compassionate. I value authenticity in our work together and offer an appreciation for your spirituality. Therapy with me is a relaxed, safe environment where you can address your concerns and struggles. We work collaboratively in a meaning centered way in order to help you explore the obstacles that keep you from feeling more engaged, connected, curious and content. You will gain a stronger connection to yourself, a greater sense of aliveness and well-being, increased creativity and discover what it means to live authentically.

We all try to cope with our wounds & stresses in the best way we can. Complex life experiences teach us complex ways to cope by perhaps— suppressing our feelings, staying hidden to avoid unwanted attention or punishment, acting out to explain the inexplicable, performing exceptionally & anxiously well to stand out or gain approval, or taking care of others at the expense of ourselves to compensate for our family legacies & cultural dynamics. Whatever the nature and range of your experiences, you may be struggling with your past and how it impacts your present, your work, your relationship with yourself, loved ones, & the world.

Currently accepting new adult and couples clients for in person and virtual sessions! Whether you're navigating a current issue, or holding onto longstanding difficulties, we can work together to bring your mind, body, and soul a greater sense of ease and flow. My approach to therapy is led with curiosity and filled with empathy. My intention is to bring compassion, intuition, optimism, and authenticity to your therapy experience. I will provide you with encouragement, reflection, and guidance through your time of healing and growth.

I believe my role as a therapist is to partner with you in order to help you to connect with your own innate strength. It is not uncommon to have feelings of anxiety or depression given the many challenges of life. Perhaps you are moving through the grief of losing a loved one or relationship. I am here to help you find your way through the confusion and pain. I have been honored to work with people during the most painful of circumstances. In my work with families during the challenge of end of life issues, I am able to offer support as they journey toward a new way of experiencing their loss.

I conduct psychological testing for a variety of purposes, including forensic evaluations and expert witness work, neuropsychological evaluations to assess cognitive functioning and damage from brain injury, and psychoeducational evaluations to examine whether learning disorders exist.These evaluations conclude with detailed written reports use for diagnosis/treatment planning, individualized educational plans (IEP), and criminal and civil courtroom cases including fitness for duty, workers' compensation, harassment issues, ability to parent, and professional board licensing disputes. In all evaluations. I utilize Best Practices and empirically proven instruments, and provide recommendations based on the testing results.

My professional background began in the financial services industry. I spent well over a decade climbing the corporate ladder and I ultimately became a managing director and equity partner of a successful capital management firm in the Los Angeles area. Although I had reached goals and achieved significant professional success, I also experienced a lack of personal fulfillment from my career. I enjoyed my job, my clients, and my colleagues, but at the same time I felt that something was missing. At that time, it was my own experience in therapy that helped me grow to redefine what success truly means.