Couples Counseling Therapists in South, Pasadena, CA

You're grieving, on edge, frustrated, or dealing with anxiety and/or a difficult transition - whatever has brought you here, you want to feel better. I want that for you, too and that's what compels me to do this work. In session, my sole focus is on you. I am here to help you make sense of what you're feeling and experiencing. You can be however you need to be and talk about whatever you need to talk about. There is a reality where you can feel better. (Sat appts now available!)

Are you currently struggling with stress or relationship challenges? Many people struggle balancing the demands of life. It is not easy to ask for help. You don't need to suffer alone. Although you may be going through a hard time, you also are worthy of receiving care. I am here to listen and to assist in strengthening self-esteem and to offer ways to increase self-compassion. I practice with a person-centered approach and have extensive education. I enjoy working with individuals, couples , and families on creating meaningful life experiences and in overcoming difficult challenges.

Let me help you be as successful in your relationships as you are in other areas of your life. This is one of the greatest challenges we will ever face - to achieve intimacy and have self-understanding. I sincerely believe (and see!) the effectiveness of therapy and I love guiding you from trauma to transformation! I appreciate how hard it may be to seek counseling, and, I greatly respect my clients' willingness to sort through the difficulties in their lives in order to develop better insight and achieve the skills to create long-lasting change.

I greet you with gentleness and a smile. Perhaps you feel trapped by feelings of anxiety, shame, criticalness, or inadequacy? Perhaps you've experienced trauma and now want or need to do something about it? Whether these feelings cause mild stuckness up to paralysis in living the life that you desire, you are welcomed here and I would love to partner with you on this journey toward healing. My deep hope is that you can experience healing from emotional wounds and engage life with freedom, peace, and authenticity.

You want to get unstuck, have clarity and purpose, be at ease in the world. You're tired of frustrating dead end behaviors, and want the confidence to handle whatever life flings your way. Perhaps the grip of anxiety, the burden of depression, a major life transition or deep grief and loss draw you here today. We will collaboratively build skillful ways/healthy coping mechanisms to navigate overwhelm, stress and burnout. Enhancing psychological flexibility and identifying goals that are uniquely yours lay the groundwork for satisfying relationships and support a life lived on your own terms.

I am honored to be able to work with adolescents and adults to provide them with contained space where they can work through obstacles that hinder inner strength and wisdom. For many of us, psychopathology can be traced back to trauma or relational issues of the past. I never tire of exploring this material with my brave clients.

If you are experiencing or have experienced trauma, anxiety, low self-esteem, mood disorders, identity construction (gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation), and/or life-changing situations related to immigration, infidelity, separation, abuse, issues related to intimacy and sex, you may feel stuck in life. I know that these experiences are difficult to process or overcome, and may make you feel isolated, hopeless, or misunderstood. I can heIp you! I am interested in unconscious patterns, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that take over your life and relationships, and hold you back from living a more satisfying and fulfilling life.

We all want to be understood and feel like we are making progress towards our life goals. My approach is comforting, humorous, humble, creative and lovingly direct. Everyone needs connection and in my experience the benefits of connecting and being seen by someone in therapy are many. Are you interested in working on an issue related to a relationship , major life change, depression and/or anxiety? Visit my website www.rachelwardlmft.com or call at 626-327-3456 for a free 25 minute consultation to see if we are a good fit. Making sure we connect is very important.

Sometimes we reach a point in our lives where we recognize that the way we've been living is not supportive of the type of life we want to create. Be it struggling with depression, anxiety, life-transition, parenting, relationships, pregnancy, or postpartum, we all need extra support to change, grow, and heal. I help you release old patterns and work through uncomfortable emotions to create more space in your life. By developing a healthier relationship with yourself you will be able to create healthier relationships with others. Together we create resources and tools that will support you as you embody new patterns and choices.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker committed to supporting others on their journey through the ups and downs of life. I have a Bachelor's and Master's in Social Work. The bulk of my work in the field of social work has been in assisting individuals impacted by child abuse and neglect, trauma, domestic violence, family issues, relationship issues and stress.

Better - that's what you want; to be better, do better, and feel better. My goal is to help you get to your "better". You may feel alone with your experience or that no one would understand what you've been through - you may not even understand it yourself. But trust me when I say that you are not alone, and you CAN reach your goal! Whether this is your first time seeking therapy or you have been down this road before, I can help you to heal mentally and emotionally, to learn how to have a better relationship with yourself and others, and to develop the insight to reach your greatest potential.

I specialize in working with individuals and couples , many of whom are dealing with the stress of life transitions, relationship issues, and identity formation.

I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has been in practice for over 20 years. The foundation of my work is the firm belief that we are wired to connect with others. When we fail to do so in some aspects of our lives, we become depressed and anxious and feel alone. My goal is to help you have healthy connections with others. People who have found my work helpful include couples dealing with relational issues, cross-cultural relationships, childhood trauma, anxiety, cultural and race issues.

For 23+ years I've specialized in working with children, adolescents, adults, couples and families to help them live with more confidence, connection, and aliveness. I bring extensive experience in therapy, supervision, consulting, and research in the areas of child, teen, & family life, social and emotional development, and building solid and nurturing relationships. I work with clients in a talk therapy approach that is warm, interactive, and active, but that is also flexible in including support for new behaviors, creative expression, and practical help in developing new skills for living.

My emphasis in counseling is to help my clients live a balanced life through the healthy integration of spiritual, psychological, and social life. I also believe that the health of our relationship (individual, marital, family, ...)is the foundation of our community. That's why I specializes in helping my clients develop a healthy relationship with others. I also specialize in helping couples prepare for marriage and support married couples to have a satisfying relationship .