Sexual Abuse Therapists in West Central, Pasadena, CA
See all therapists in West Central, Pasadena
Jeremy C O'Brien
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
12 Endorsed
Verified
12 Endorsed
I work primarily with clients suffering from family trauma (physical/emotional/
sexual abuse
, domestic violence, attachment, neglect, incest) to re-author their story.
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.
Rosa L. Casquino
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
Verified
Life can bring challenges that keep us from connecting to our authentic self. If you are struggling with recovering from the impact of childhood trauma,
sexual abuse
, domestic violence, and C-PTSD, I can support you through your journey. The impact of trauma can result in work-life balance issues, relationship issues, and struggles with life-transitions. Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent, the CEO of a company, or a college student, anyone can find themselves in need of support. I can help by being present for you and by providing you with tools & resources to help you navigate your life.
Pasadena Trauma Therapy, Inc.
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
22 Endorsed
Verified
22 Endorsed
You can heal from TRAUMA. If you are living with traumatic events from your past, ranging from
sexual abuse
, incest, rape, humiliation, violence, and attachment wounds, therapy could be a safe space to address these injuries. Through a collaborative approach and taking into account the mind & body, I join my clients on a journey of exploration, growth, and healing. I can assist you in reconnecting with yourself and your body, feel grounded, and helping you manage your life more smoothly.
Not accepting new clients
Amy Burdick
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
Verified
I have been working as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for 10 years with an underlying curiosity and hope for more in the way of true connection to the self and the other with a focus on trauma and attachment related issues. Connection is much more than problem solving and communication skills, but rather an ability to feel safe, secure and seen. I began my practice in community mental health and and primarily with a focus on trauma of all kinds (attachment, emotional abuse and neglect, physical abuse, sexual
assault
, and
sexual abuse
) with a focus on attachment and somatic responses.
Lisa Gallegos
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
Verified
I work with adults, adolescents, and children, specializing in working with people who have experienced traumas (emotional, physical,
sexual abuse
, grief, loss); couples locked in conflict; parents in conflict with their children; people experiencing life transitions; people with addiction; and around issues related to race, class, gender, and sexual orientation.
If difficult life experiences have left you feeling stuck, worried, hopeless, angry or overwhelmed, we can work together to bring change to your life. My first priority is building a trusting, safe relationship with you. I will utilize my expertise in interpersonal neurobiology, attachment theory, mindfulness, and trauma-informed care to create a safe, non-judgmental environment, informed by a framework founded on the connections between mind, body, and emotion. I will use cutting edge science about the brain that empowers you with information to understand your relationship patterns and why you think, feel, and behave the way you do.
Not accepting new clients
Melanie Horstmann
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, MSW, LCSW
Verified
2 Endorsed
Verified
2 Endorsed
Trauma manifests in many forms including difficult childhood experiences, sexual
assault
, abusive relationships and through various life transitions (divorce, pregnancy, postpartum). These life experiences can negatively shape the way you view yourself, your relationships and your interpersonal world. I can assist you in overcoming the effects of trauma to create a more fulfilling, hopeful life. My treatment approach is psychodynamically-oriented and mindfulness-based with an emphasis on creating a safe environment and alliance to help you feel secure and supported. I use empathy, humor and curiosity to fully understand your distress and work along side you to create change.
Brendan K. Thyne
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
Verified
Compassionate, principled psychotherapy for adults and adolescents in a private practice setting since 2006. From 1991 to 2006, I provided counseling in various psychiatric facilities, rehabilitation centers, and college campus clinics. My aim is to provide direct, honest feedback while supporting clients in their pursuit of emotional wellbeing, sexual health, and spiritual growth. I have found that clients usually feel better when they learn to live according to principles they discover within themselves.
Waitlist for new clients
Christopher Ruffin
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW, EMDR
Verified
Verified
Life is a journey that should enhance who we are and should help us grow personally and professionally. I truly believe that events in life ‘‘happen for you, not to you.’’ When we adapt that mentality, we are able to utilize the obstacle in our lives as opportunities to grow and enhance our existence. In treatment I help my clients process past events that occurred in their lives in order for them to understand how those events affected their lives and shaped their existence. I helped my clients understand any unconscious defense mechanisms they are engaging that could be bringing harm to their lives. I am EMDR trained as well.
Jonathan Damiani
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, MS
Verified
5 Endorsed
Verified
5 Endorsed
Author and psychologist Alice Miller once wrote, “Consciously experiencing our legitimate emotions is liberating. Repressed emotion can be resolved as soon as it is felt, understood, and recognized as legitimate.” Dr. Miller’s words capture my work as a psychotherapist. It is my hope to help my patients legitimately experience their complex emotional worlds in order to cultivate a rich and meaningful life. Although this is no easy task, I offer my partnership on this journey toward relief and healing, both internally and interpersonally.
Alibrando Psychological Consulting
Psychologist, PhD
Verified
Verified
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.
Dana Kert
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, MS, AMFT
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
As a therapist, I know how difficult it can be to juggle all that life expects of us while experiencing mental or emotional distress. Whether it’s unwanted anxious thoughts, healing from a past trauma, or feeling stuck in your relationships, you are not alone. I work from an attachment-based model with a focus on the mind-body connection in order to help clients more deeply understand where they are holding hurt and why. I will provide a warm and safe space, free of judgment, for us to explore your past and present in order to work toward a more peaceful and fulfilling future.
Not accepting new clients
Terese Forster
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
3 Endorsed
Verified
3 Endorsed
As a therapist, my goal is to help my clients heal from the traumas in their life to find true fulfillment and a more peaceful future. To do this, I place special emphasis on valuing the intelligence of each individual's journey. By attuning to your process with compassion, I provide a secure and nurturing environment which makes it easier to explore the challenges you face. My focus is to walk you through the process and help you to find what works best for you. I hold the space for you to become at peace with your past.
Ryan G Witherspoon
Psychologist, PhD
Verified
4 Endorsed
Verified
4 Endorsed
My clients are sophisticated, insightful, and curious about themselves and others. Yet they may have found themselves feeling chronically depressed, anxious, or lost in life, and they might struggle with long-term patterns in their lives and relationships that they just can’t seem to change. Perhaps they have struggled with trauma or other experiences, thoughts, and feelings they fear nobody would understand. I enjoy working with people who desire not just new insights into their mind, but also a new way of experiencing themselves and others.
Wei-Chin Hwang
Psychologist, PhD
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
Dr. Wei-Chin Hwang is a licensed clinical psychologist and professor of clinical psychology. He has two practice locations, one in Pasadena and one in Claremont, California. In his practice, he provides psychotherapy to adults, adolescents, children, couples, and families. Dr. Hwang has over 24 years of education, training, and experience in the field of psychology. He received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from UCLA (ranked #1 in clinical psychology) and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Harbor UCLA Medical Center. He is a professor at Claremont McKenna College (ranked #6 among liberal arts colleges in the U.S.).
Vanessa Espinosa
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
Therapy is a unique opportunity for exploration and understanding of one's own story, and can facilitate healing and transformation during trying times. In my practice, I work collaboratively with clients to uncover and strengthen their inner wisdom, while teaching them skills needed to maneuver through life's challenges, changes and transitions. I provide a supportive and hope-filled environment that allows for a journey of self-discovery, and helps to foster self-love, self-compassion, and acceptance.
Alisa Medders
Marriage & Family Therapist, MS, LMFT
Verified
Verified
We are in a very unique time in history that for many can increase their fear and/or anxiety. Don't do it alone! If you are struggling, please reach out.Get the support you need. My fees are very flexible to ensure that no one is going through this alone.My life experience combined with my education has equipped me to serve a variety of people. You can come with your struggles, whatever they may be - depression, anxiety, grief, divorce, traumatic experience, eating issues, body distortion, sexuality, self-destructive behavior, cultural, Christianity/spirituality and enter into a safe place to receive treatment.
Dr. Farnush Farmand
Psychologist, PsyD
Verified
3 Endorsed
Verified
3 Endorsed
For many of us, the challenges we face in our daily lives can be overwhelming, no matter what form they take. We find ourselves repeating the same unhealthy patterns, yet struggle to understand why. After a while we begin to lose trust in our judgement and grow distant from our intuition, finding it difficult to identify our own guiding voice. So we learn to cope through any means possible, which often emulate ways we have learned to protect ourselves. We find ways to run from the pain and our internal shame through substance use, unhealthy relationships, and other self-destructive behaviors.
Michele Wilkens
Psychologist, PsyD
Verified
Verified
People need support at different times and for various reasons. Right now may be that time for you. Do you have feelings that are overwhelming or experience lack of feeling, and doing things is becoming more difficult? You may have feelings that are painful, intolerable, empty, lost, or feel just stuck. Do you ever wonder what would it be like to feel ok? I can help. Imagine feeling some relief, calmness, and peace. How essential is it to better understand and feel good about you? You can feel better. It may not be easy, but I can help.
Not accepting new clients
Ryan Ashley Brown
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
2 Endorsed
Verified
2 Endorsed
Starting the process of exploring challenging memories, finding ways to let light in through the cracks, and get up and meet your challenges can be a difficult task to tackle on your own. I strive to be the person to advocate, provide a safe environment, and collaborate with you during unexpected, unrehearsed times of hardship, heart ache, loss, or just confusing times. I am also an ally to the LGBTQ+ community and dedicated to providing a safe space and affirmative support. My primary goal is to establish therapeutic alliance that fosters hope, healing, personal growth, and insight to continue to get up and show up in the world.
Chelsea Walsh-Rosenn
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
Seeking the support of a therapist can be a powerful step toward increasing self-awareness and the ability to change patterns that are no longer working. Change in therapy happens through a process of increased self-understanding, practicing new ways of engaging (with yourself, with others, with a particular problem or set of issues), and development and practice of coping strategies. I collaborate with my clients to identify and work toward treatment goals, using a combination of practical skills and deeper work to explore and repair root issues that may be contributing to current problems.
See more therapy options for West Central, Pasadena
Sexual Abuse Therapists
How do therapists treat sexual abuse?
A good therapist will be nonjudgmental and possibly demonstrate active listening, repeating back what the client says to show that they have understood. These skills allow people to feel comfortable discussing their traumatic experiences openly. Some important treatment goals are to restore a sense of safety and to rebuild confidence. In addition to working one-on-one with the patient, a therapist might bring in supportive family members to assist the client.
Do you have to talk extensively about sexual abuse in therapy?
Survivors frequently find it difficult to describe what happened to them out loud. They can even still be in a state of denial if the sexual abuse occurred recently. It is important for survivors to acknowledge that what happened isn’t their fault and to challenge and reappraise any unhealthy feelings or thoughts as they arise. Art therapy and play therapy are useful non-verbal means of communication for some survivors.
How long does treatment for sexual abuse take?
Recovery from sexual abuse can be a long and difficult process. Some survivors are able to move on naturally on their own, given time, while others require the guidance of a trained therapist. Therapy needs vary and can range from a few sessions to months or even years. Healing from sexual abuse takes time, and everyone’s journey will look a little different.
Can trauma symptoms caused by sexual abuse come back after treatment?
As occurs in many cases of trauma, survivors of sexual abuse may experience PTSD-like symptoms long after the abuse has ceased or after an initial round of treatment has occurred. In such a case, there is evidence that prolonged exposure therapy is a useful treatment for survivors, and may be more efficacious than supportive counseling alone. While triggers may continue to cause distress, the idea is that, with time and repeated exposure, their power will fade, allowing survivors to move on with their lives.