Trauma and PTSD Therapists in South, Pasadena, CA

Is anxiety, depression, or trauma holding you back from being your true self? Do you feel stuck in managing difficult life transitions? Now, every little thing becomes super overwhelming. Those negative experiences reopen old wounds and cause new ones. You tried burying your pain hoping it would go away. You feel lonely and tormented. You feel exhausted, stressed, and angry all the time. You wonder how much more you can take. You are unsure of who or where to turn for help. In the midst of this painful journey, you do not have to go through it alone.

I am passionate about working with people who want to heal past trauma and find more safety and happiness within themselves and their relationships as well as those who are moving through grief and loss. Is the past interfering with your quality of life and ability to sustain healthy relationships in the present? Do you feel stuck and unsure how to move forward? Have you recently lost someone you love or experienced a major life transition? Do you experience feelings of shame and hopelessness, nightmares, ruminating thoughts or addictive behavior? I provide a safe space to address past and present traumatic experiences and losses.

I am a licensed clinical social worker specializing in the treatment of children, adolescents and young adults along with the families who support them. I have extensive experience in treating mood disorders, self-harmful behaviors, behavioral difficulties and issues related to identity, relationships and entering adulthood. Additionally, I work extensively with people who are experiencing grief due to loss, trauma and abuse.

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.

Do you feel depressed or anxious due to childhood trauma? Do you feel disconnected in your relationships with others? I’m here to help you develop an action plan for meaningful changes. My approach to therapy is relational and person-centered. I will work alongside you in a warm and understanding environment where you can explore your emotions and find better ways to deal with the stressors in your life.

Has trauma, anxiety, or depression interfered with the potential to become the best version of yourself? We often feel defined by traumatic or emotionally difficult experiences then often leave us feeling stuck in place rather than moving forward towards our goals. I’m here to provide a safe, affirming space for you to develop an understanding of yourself to overcome past experiences or fears that define you. Our work together will be met with unconditional acceptance, creative approaches, and the utmost compassion.

As a multiethnic, multicultural woman of color, child of an immigrant, and trauma-informed associate clinical social worker with a background in gender studies, I approach my work with an intersectional lens. I consider the whole human being as well as the various systems they are part of and the effect these systems have on a person’s life. It is important to me that I am mindful of how my client perceives the world and how the world perceives them. As a trauma-informed yoga instructor, I also consider how emotions can show up somatically.

Depression. Anxiety. Failing relationships. Trauma. Those words may look intense on the page, but if you are experiencing any of these conditions yourself, you know exactly how devastating they can be for your life, your relationships, and your happiness. If you recognize yourself in any of those words, I want you to know that you're not alone in these struggles…and talking to a therapist can help.

Sexuality is an important part of the human experience and I offer a safe, judgement-free space to talk about it. I’m a certified Sex Therapist whose speciality is working with LGBTQIA2s+, Kinky and Polyamorous identifying people. I know that fulfilling relationships are possible for everyone. We all have the need for connection and intimacy, but trauma and painful experiences can create walls that keep others at a distance. Therapy can help you overcome these walls and heal. You can achieve a balance of closeness, connection and personal autonomy in your life.

My clients often ask me, "How can I change this" in reference to a particular problem he or she might be having. My approach to treatment is to work closely with you in exploring and understanding the impact of your past with mindful attention to present problem solving. Therapeutic work requires a safe and confidential place to share your pain and struggles. Within this safe space, clients are often able to move forward and discover reasons behind self-defeating behaviors, resolve old issues, and become more authentic in present relationships.

You may feel broken, different, and struggle to make all the "pieces" fit together. Perhaps that is further complicated because you are a survivor of trauma, or struggling with immense grief, and find it difficult to maintain healthy relationships or feel balanced. We cannot go back in time, but we have this sacred moment, and I want to help you grasp it and make it genuine. I want to help you find choice, autonomy and radical compassion in who you are. If you are partnered, I want to help you develop skills to nourish growth in your partnership(s)

If you are reading this, then I imagine you have found yourself needing change. Perhaps you are exhausted by the daily anxiety that has you believe you are never safe, always questioning your place and relationships. Maybe you are finally ready to delve into past trauma, knowing it is time to dive into the unknown in the hopes to release its grip on your life. Relationship difficulties with family members or partners are at an all time high, and you find yourself needing support to learn how to communicate and be heard. Maybe you simply need a space to feel safe, supported, and learn how to breathe fully again.

Stress and anxiety can drain emotional and physical energy, making even the smallest life obstacles seem impossible to overcome. When we are anxious or stressed, we have trouble sleeping, feel exhausted from worrying, and have difficulty concentrating and making decisions. Anxiety and stress can also make people socially avoidant, risk aversive, or hypervigilant, as if something catastrophic is just about to happen. If you are often worried, tense, or keyed up, or have frequent panic attacks, know that anxiety can be treated successfully.

We all feel lost from time to time, but there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve been through my own therapy as a young adult when I was stuck in a bout of anxiety and panic attacks due to childhood trauma. Throughout my years of working with traumatized individuals, I learned first-hand about how childhood trauma can have a strong impact on adulthood. I can help you address unresolved trauma, in order for you to find passion, connection, and purpose in your life.

HeIlo! Welcome! Are you ready to work on your issues with the support of an experienced, compassionate therapist? Let’s meet to get acquainted with one another and discuss your issues and goals, and to help heal and grow. Some of the issues my clients experience are Depression, Anxiety, Relationship issues, ADHD, and Trauma. I work with clients who have dysfunctional family backgrounds, have survived various types of abuse, and are struggling with dealing with family members or others, and with recovering from their childhoods. I also work with clients who have a “difficult” parent/parent with a personality disorder.

Healing is possible. No matter who you are, or what happened to you, you deserve to feel safe and at home in your body. You can create a life that is worth living.

The capacity for healing resides in everyone. Therapy is about unhooking from self-limiting adaptive patterns, while cultivating self-acceptance and reconnecting with essential wise parts of yourself. I work with men and women using a depth-oriented, body-mind approach to explore the complexity of identity and relationships. My aim is to help you understand from an embodied perspective the deeper dynamics of your struggle, strengthen the parts inside of you that can move beyond it and engage in life with a greater sense of meaning, strength, and self-compassion.

Imagine a ghost who is haunting a person when they are most vulnerable to take control of them. This is the way trauma shows up in our lives. It slowly reveals itself and every encounter is scarier than the previous. Furthermore, no one else can validate this experience because they cannot see the ghost at first, which leads the person to feeling alone, isolated, and vulnerable. I can come along side with you as you overcome this ghost. You can overcome your trauma in therapy with a safe and supportive environment to take on whatever it is that is haunting you.

I am a Registered Marriage and Family Associate Therapist (136003) supervised by Matthew J. Rohr, M.S., LMFT51186 based in Pasadena, California. Prior to joining Matt Rohr & Associates, I was at U.S. Vets: "Outside the Wire" where I worked with various veterans and veteran students struggling with severe mental illnesses including Bipolar, Borderline Personality, Major Depressive, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorders. I use a variety of therapeutic techniques such as Gestalt, Narrative, Psychodynamic, Person-Centered, Solution-Focused, and Cognitive Behavioral therapy.