Pregnancy, Prenatal, Postpartum Therapists in Monterey, CA

Receiving news of your pregnancy can be exciting, yet overwhelming and scary. Everyone says how pregnancy is a beautiful experience, but no one ever talks nor prepares you for the scary side of pregnancy. You never imagined it would be this physically, emotionally demanding or draining. Soon, you find yourself experiencing intrusive negative thoughts about yourself, your baby, and the world around you. You wonder if you are even fit to be a parent. Additional outside stressors and the arrival of the baby contribute to feeling more overwhelmed and life becomes difficult to manage

I wholeheartedly believe it’s my role as a therapist to assist you in realizing, accessing and cultivating the internal and external resources that you already possess. Stress, conflict, and pain are those given aspects of life. I'll support you in healing, reconnecting and making empowering choices to achieve peace and feel more joy on a daily basis. Together, we will create a safe space for vulnerability and strength; both are needed for change. Our sessions will allow you to move through stuck points in your mind, relationships and environment. My approach is empathic, direct, emotionally supportive and solutions focused.

Hi! I'm Kristina, and work with individuals and couples in the pregnancy, postpartum, and young children phase of life. I specialize in anxiety, sleep, holistic wellness and couples with babies or young children. You imagined that this phase of life was going to be blissful, but in reality it has been one of the most challenging phases of life you have been through. If you are trying to find more balance and peace you are in the right place!

Seeking support can be daunting, but it is also the first step to finding your path through self-inquiry, growth and integration. I would like to accompany you in this unfolding process of discovery. My clinical work began in 2002 when I became a Clinical Psychologist in my country of origin. During the past 19 years, I have been serving diverse populations from a variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds, age groups, race, socio-economic status, and distinct spiritual paths. I also offer support and guidance for adoptive families, foster families and legal guardians going through adjustments with caregiving and parenting.

My therapeutic style is authentic and interactive. I love creating a safe space for my clients to process their thoughts, feelings, and emotions without shame or judgement. I provide empathy, support, psycho-education, encouragement and validate my clients feelings and unique life experiences. I work with my clients on healing from past trauma while making connections from their past to present thoughts, feelings and behaviors. I see my clients through an attachment lens and believe we all deserve and are wired for love and connection.

Everyone experiences challenges and pain in life, yet when they happen to you it's an experience that is uniquely yours. It takes courage to face uncomfortable feelings and to cultivate an open heart. To recognize you need support and seek treatment is good coping. I work with a wide variety of clients experiencing traumas; transitions; anxiety and OCD; grief and loss; sad mood, guilt, hopelessness; excessive worry; overwhelm; irritability/anger; relationship strain/conflict; identity issues; and work/school stress. I'm trained in pregnancy/postpartum adjustments through Postpartum Support International, and OCD through IOCDF/BTTI.

Exclusively offering telehealth services. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), I have been providing therapeutic support through telehealth, to individuals, groups, couples, and families since 2013. My focus has been on working with young adults, adults and seniors. I am licensed and practice in the states of California, Oregon and Montana.

One of my greatest rewards as a therapist is helping clients explore ways to make changes in their lives that will allow them to look forward to the future with hope and live fully in the present. I believe we all need someone to talk with, who will really listen and accept us as we are, without judgement. I provide clients with a warm, non-judgmental environment; a safe place to explore the issues that may be preventing them from living the life they want. I have a heart for helping others find deeper meaning and a sense of purpose.

You are overwhelmed, burned out, stressed, irritable and no longer feel like yourself. You want to enjoy your life, but you are on edge, frustrated and exhausted. You may be struggling with the demands of work, home, parenting, your relationship, or just trying to find balance while "fitting it all in." You may have past trauma that you have not worked through because YOU are always the one taking care of others. You break promises and commitments to yourself, have a hard time trusting yourself and place more importance on pleasing and showing up for others. This is impacting your most important relationship - the one with yourself!

Working collaboratively, in a way that feels supportive, we will identify and reach goals in a timely manner to ensure you gain initial and sustainable relief. I offer effective support. With over a decade of experience working in private practice, mental health agencies, and schools, I have the training, education, and experience required to effectively treat a wide range of issues. Please contact me for a consultation.

If you're here, it's likely because you're feeling confused or torn up about how to handle some part of your life, and it's affecting you in a way you wish it wasn't. I want to help you get past that, and get to a place where you're feeling more confident about your ability to manage the difficult situations you come across, whether it's with your family, in your relationships, or at work.

Are you wanting to embark on a journey of self discovery and healing to move towards living your best life? I specialize in working with anxiety, depression, co-dependency, trauma (direct, vicarious, and intergenerational). I am certified in Clinical Supervision and have been providing clinical supervision since 2017. I also specialize in therapy for therapists to process vicarious trauma, transference, and provide consultation. Drawing from depth psychology and an integrative, holistic approach; I help clients in developing deep understanding of their psyche and heal wounds that block them from living their most authentic life.

I seek to provide a place where clients can feel safe to explore areas in their life where they desire healing and change. In a world of demands, we all need to take the time to care for ourselves. This includes being equipped with the tools and support needed to achieve goals and a fuller life.

Currently accepting new clients virtually! I enjoy helping teenagers, young adults, and adults heal from painful or overwhelming life experiences so that they can feel confident, improve their relationships, and make empowered decisions for themselves. Whether you want to delve into family dynamics, navigate past trauma, or just understand yourself better, I provide individual therapy to support your needs. My specialized training can also help individuals who have struggled with religious trauma and faith transitions.

Therapy Lab offers individual teletherapy that's based on a plan. Visit our website (therapylab.com) to explore a menu of treatment plans based on common goals for therapy. With your input, we'll make a plan that's based on your goals, your timeline, and your budget. Our science-based plans are designed to support you in overcoming distress (anxiety, relationship problems, work stress) so you walk away with emotional health and insight. At your first session, your exceptionally qualified therapist will get to know you and pick or design a plan that’s customized to your situation.

We live in a demanding era in which the choices and pressures of everyday life can be overwhelming, causing both interpersonal and intrapersonal conflict. Therapy is the process of change, generating self-affirming thought patterns towards a hopeful and resilient future, a centered and balanced life.

My approach is generally solution-focused, and based on the premise that it's easier to make changes based on our strengths than our deficits. My style is down-to-earth, friendly, and collaborative. There is no problem too big that we can’t resolve together in a collaborative style. I build a therapeutic relationship on mutual respect and support people in using their strengths to overcome challenges. I very much enjoy my work and consider it an honor to be invited into the lives of the people with whom I work.

I grew up in Southern California and received my BA from California State University, San Marcos in Sociology and Liberal Arts. I obtained my MSW from the University of Southern California in 2002 and became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in 2008. I have over 20 years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults and families in a variety of settings. My experience includes working with individuals, couples, and families. I have a strong foundation in working with depression, anxiety, trauma, personality disorders, and substance use disorders.

Stuck in a pattern? A pattern that repeats itself almost magically again and again in your relationships, at work, or parenting. These patterns may have been helpful in the past, but now dull creativity and spirit, wearing down confidence, fortitude and hope. Or perhaps you are in the middle of change or in need of change painfully long overdue, but you just can’t...seem...to...fully...step...forward. I work with adults and couples to move through patterns of depression, anxiety, addiction, pain and trauma into growth and long awaited thriving.