Couples Counseling Therapists in West Central, Pasadena, CA

My practice has primarily derived from an education in psychoanalytic psychotherapy, emphasizing close attention to your developmental history, relational patterns, inhibiting defenses and the neglected power of your inner life. I understand the vulnerability it takes to open yourself up to a therapist, and I promise to join you with patience, strength, and hope on your path to self-understanding. With collaborative and creative intention, I can help you widen your point of view, increase your tolerance for variegated emotions, integrate fragmented parts of yourself, and discover the uncharted material within you.

Navigating through life's challenges can be difficult and at times family and friends may not provide the support you are looking for. You are not alone. I believe I can help make a difference in your current situation regardless of your background or stage in life. My goal is to create a place where you can be and explore your most authentic self. Much of therapy starts with discussing challenges and current issues. However, my approach focuses on and utilizing your strengths. If we can determine what your strengths are, together we can enhance them and use them to help overcome life's current obstacles and challenges.

Are you feeling lost? Out of control, burned out, stuck, or like an imposter? Are you or your loved ones repeating behaviors, relationships, or situations, and wishing you could break the cycle? Maybe little things feel more stressful than usual. Sometimes, we aren't sure what causes our distress, but we can sense we're not reaching our potential for health, happiness, or success. Even when we know the cause, change can still feel impossible. That's where I come in. My job is not to judge you; it's to listen, help you understand the root causes of your difficulties, and teach you practical tools to help change your life.

Are you living with the effects of trauma or an abusive relationship ? It IS possible to move beyond difficult experiences. Therapy is a safe space to tackle the symptoms instead of yourself. Through collaboration we discover strengths inside you that will bring you healing. A traumatic childhood can shape the story you have about yourself and your ability to achieve healthy connections. Unhealthy/Unwanted romantic or sexual relationships can effect how you view love and what you deserve. Let's work together to rediscover YOU, understanding your experience in a way that brings relief, moving beyond events that cause pain.

I specialize in working with people who want more love and peacefulness in their lives. I have had post masters level training for the past five years doing depth work in psychoanalysis. I have been in practice for over 15 years. We will work together for a better understanding of your unconscious inner world and how it affects your life. Close and intimate relationships with others are possible and a basic human need that are yearned for and people deserve. I can help with opening your heart and opening your mind in many new and powerful ways.

Our ideal client is an individual, couple or organization that is interested in some sort of transformation and needs an experienced facilitator and partner in that change. I have worked as a therapist for over 35 years and a business consultant for over 25 years. I have two master degrees and one doctorate degree in counseling and clinical psychology. More importantly, however, I have invested in my own personal growth, after all, the emotional maturity of the therapist/consultant is the most important attribute they can have.

When we think of art, we typically think of paintings, films, and music. But what about living life? Ancient Greek philosophers believed that living life is an art. They also thought that, with practice, we can learn to be better artists. I believe that to live well, to navigate the challenges and struggles of life in a way that is authentic to who we are and who we want to be, would be nothing short of creating a masterpiece. Just like there is no one right way to create art, there is no one right way to live life. I believe therapy is a collaborative process that aims to create art through the life we live.

What is your vision for your life? My non-traditional, postmodern perspective results in a collaborative style of therapy designed to help you find the answer. Together, we will examine the contents of your life and determine which elements will be useful on your journey, and which should be discarded. I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and a certified Imago therapist, specializing in individual, pre-marital, couples and parenting issues. My practice, though centered on relationships, includes a wide range of clients whose needs vary from LGBTQ issues, grief, career anxiety, depression, and life transitions.

Please, call me JJ. Let's find ways to create stability in your relationships. I have completed the Level 3 Practicum Training in Gottman Method Couples Therapy and specialize in working with couples to rebuild the bridges of communication. I am able to work with infidelity and trauma that may have occurred in relationships. When working with individuals I can help you discover the tools you need to work through life's challenges. I believe there is a way to heal trauma, both past and present, through building a strong trusting therapeutic relationship .

Whether you are struggling with depression, isolation, anxiety, social-emotional issues, racial inequity, colorism, support through transitions and identifying new passions, struggling with traumatic events, or relationship issues; I am here to support you. My approach includes a toolbox of practices and techniques using Psychodynamic therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Interpersonal Neurobiology, Relational Therapy, Mindfulness, and Wellness Coaching to help my clients facilitate social, emotional, and behavioral changes.

My years in the inpatient setting have prepared me to treat individuals suffering a wide range of psychological difficulties and acuity. Working from a psychodynamic and humanistic perspective, I provide a safe and constructive space for clients to journey towards emotional wellbeing and healing. I work with teens, adults and couples facing relationship conflict, loss, difficult life transitions, and mental health symptoms including depression, anxiety, and psychosis. With a deep appreciation for the complexity of the human experience, my goal is to engender both insight and hope in my clients.

Feeling stuck? Tired of being trapped in the same patterns with no end in sight? Want to get closer but don't know how? There are times when we feel exhausted and hopeless with ourselves or in our relationships. We feel lonely, insignificant, angry or tired. These feelings may stall us in our growth and interfere with our life goals and passion. I see therapy as a process of discovery. I will walk with you as you find your inner strengths, hope, and courage to be your authentic self. I believe that we all possess the potential for change and growth in how we relate to others, to this world and most importantly, to ourselves.

Welcome to DMT Psychotherapy. I am a Licensed Board Certified Psychotherapist along with a Certified Clinical Supervisor and work with children, adolescents, adults, couples , & families. I have extensive training and experience treating a variety of issues such as complex trauma, depression, anxiety disorders, behavioral issues, low self-esteem, relationship problems, ADHD, and parenting. Life can be challenging and overwhelming at times and asking for help is the first step towards leading a happier and more fulfilled life. I can help & assist in finding tools you need to make positive transformations. I provide a safe and comfortable environment where individuals can share their thoughts and feelings.

Experiencing anxiety, depression, and trauma can be hard to navigate on one’s own. Through the use of integrative modalities, my goal is to help you find your way so that you can manage symptoms, feel your best, discover who you truly are, and move forward in the direction of your dreams whereby your past no longer holds you back. Using warmth and compassion, I also aim to provide trauma-informed care to discuss your struggles without judgment and safely process unresolved trauma and feelings.

At the core of the human experience are questions. Who am I? Who am I in relevance to others? We live our lives as an expression of that narrative. If you've found yourself struggling to navigate life's challenges, let's work together to ask the hard questions and find ways to improve your quality of life. I work with individuals, couples , and families using evidence-based psychological interventions. Over the years, I have seen my clients break through old and unhealthy patterns to develop new perspectives and confidence for the future.

Life can get real heavy real quick. I invite you to schedule time out of your week to cater to your emotional/mental/spiritual well being. How can you love others, if you were never taught to love yourself? How do you stop judging the people in your life, if you hold yourself to the highest of standards? It all starts with YOU. Everyone who crosses our path in life is simply a mirror for the things that we need to heal within. I will help you to get in touch with your intuition/inner-knowing, and learn how to mindfully respond v.s. impulsively react.

Understanding the brain-body connection can be helpful in treating a variety of mental health concerns such as trauma, anxiety, depression, and relationship issues. That feeling of tightness in your chest when you feel anxious or a sense of calm when you feel safe are bodily sensations that affect how we feel, think, and behave. I combine brain-body techniques, that focus on trauma held in the body, with talk therapy to gently calm, repair, and help regulate the nervous system. Today we know that combining these two approaches can address both the emotional and physical components of many mental health issues.