Trauma Focused Therapists in Serra Mesa, San Diego, CA

I work collaboratively and creatively to help you/your child or teen identify the root causes underlying the current struggles and increase awareness of solutions in your lives. I use play/art techniques to explore thoughts and feelings, emphasize therapeutic experiments, and process traumas to help you/your child feel better and improve the quality of your lives. I have more than 20 years experience helping children, teens, adults, and parents with trauma, grief, anxiety, family conflicts, bipolar, ADHD, and depression, among other issues. I also love working with LGBTQ community, military families, twins, and parenting struggles.

"To the world you may be one person but to one person you may be the world"(Author unknown). When we are facing daily challenges in our lives, it can be difficult to see that we are loved, have a positive mindset, be grateful, feel good about ourselves, smile or have the motivation to do things which can negatively impact our daily functioning and relationships with others. My hope is that through therapy you will learn how to overcome these obstacles in order to become the best version of yourself and realize how important you are in this world.

Aloha! Life is full of change and transition, and that means life is also full of times when we need extra support to manage the anxiety, depression, and/or distress that often comes along with it. If this sounds like you, you're in the right place. I like to think of myself as a treatment partner, not someone who sits silently while you figure out your own path forward. That means I take a holistic, collaborative approach to treatment, with a nod to evidence-based practices, such as CBT, ACT, Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused, as well as using EMDR and trauma-focused CPT for PTSD and other trauma-related symptoms.

Hello, I’m Abby Duran, a Licensed Professional Counselor in the states of California, Oklahoma, Arizona, and Florida. I have been licensed for 12 years and worked in mental health for 22 years. I have extensive experience with individuals, couple, military and traumatic brain injury. Working with; depression, anxiety, relationship issues, life transitions, stress and trauma. I was trained in Gestalt therapy and utilize other modalities such as; CBT, motivational interviewing, trauma focused care, person centered therapy, marriage/ couples counseling and several others.

My name is Sheena Bergeron, LMFT. I specialize in trauma-focused therapy with children and adolescents using different modalities including TFCBT, EMDR, and DBT. I have primarily worked with youth with complex trauma leading to diagnoses such as PTSD, Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Some common symptoms addressed have been suicidal ideation, self-harm, defiance, and high levels of irritability. I come from an attachment-focused approach when working with youth, as well as being client-centered.

Seeking help can be a vulnerable and overwhelming experience for many people, and it is courageous to take those steps forward. I tailor our sessions to your unique needs, working collaboratively to foster insight and promote positive change and self growth. Whether you're struggling with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, or simply seeking personal growth, we will work together to develop strategies to effectively reach your goals. Our therapeutic relationship is built on trust, empathy, and non-judgment, providing you with a nurturing environment to explore your thoughts and emotions openly.

If you're looking for a safe and non-judgmental space to explore your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, then I'm here to help. If you want to achieve greater self-awareness and understanding, and develop the skills and insights necessary to make positive changes in your life, then you are my ideal client. My goal is to empower you to live a fulfilling and satisfying life, free from fear of discrimination or stigma, while cultivating healthy and fulfilling relationships that align with your values and desires. Additionally, if you are a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I want to provide you with a safe and affirming space.

I am a culturally affirming Mental Health Therapist with over 10 yrs of experience in the field. I work with adults and young adults from diverse backgrounds, with a focus on underrepresented groups. We will identify your objectives, potential roadblocks, and strategies for overcoming them. I practice through a lens of self-compassion. My areas of expertise include, but are not limited to: Moms; life/career transitions; addiction; relationships; self-esteem; mood disorders; body image; and trauma. Therapy is a collaborative journey, and I'd like to work with you to improve the quality of your life and achieve mental well-being.

Being human is not a simple experience, and reaching out for help along the way can be challenging. If you are reading this and think it’s time to ask for support, I see your courage and confidence and it would be an honor to join your journey. Whether you want to work through harrowing events and memories or learn new coping skills and prioritize your mental health, you deserve a time and place to do that. I intend to hold a warm, non-judgmental space to create an emotionally safe environment for growth, empowerment, and reconnecting with your inner self. I will be there to listen, support, and guide you.

Looking for help can be daunting. Life brings us challenges, decisions and transitions where we need some guidance, perspective and support. Together, we will create a fun, yet straight forward and solution - based environment for managing life’s challenges and thrive while overcoming them.

Are you a Hopeful Romantic? Do you want love, but feel you haven't figured out how to find what you need? Have you been burned a few times but still stay in the dating game? Or maybe, are you committed to your partner but don't know how to tell them what you need from them to feel the love? You deserve the love you want and I can help you get it! I have been helping my clients go from feeling like failures in their relationships to succeeding at finding the love they want for over 20 years. Is it your turn yet? I help you re-write the script in your mind about what love is and get the love you desire.

Therapy shouldn't be a one-size-fits-all approach. Everyone has different problems with different skills and solutions that work best for them.

Relationships can be wonderful at the best of times, and downright painful at the worst of times. How well do you understand your reactions in these distressed moments? Your partner's? Do you feel out of control? Do you feel disconnected? These are just two ways that people can respond to relational distress. I can help you to slow down in these moments to help you express yourself in a way that is congruent, and most importantly, in a way that lets you be heard by your partner, family, co-workers, and yourself.

Confronting the challenges that accompany our lives can be daunting and result in a deviation from the expectations we have of ourselves and those with whom we interact. I am here to assist you in the process to heighten awareness and gain more meaningful and fulfilling experiences in your life through psychotherapy. I utilize the DAFT (Depth & Freedom Therapy) approach that combines various counseling theories and techniques, philosophical tenets, and spiritual teachings to collaborate with clients in order to strengthen individual identity while considering the impact of past experiences, modern day socio-cultural influences, and current personal issues.

I specialize in working with clients who are facing anxiety, depression, and trauma/PTSD, along with those working through significant transitions in their relationships, careers, and health. As a client-centered and strength-based therapist, I believe that you are ultimately the expert on yourself and it is my role to help guide you back to living the life you want to live.

Life can be stressful for adults, and children too. I specialize in working with youth, families, and adults to process their past traumatic events and childhood abuse. I utilize a cognitive behavioral, integrative approach, with a trauma informed lens and an emphasis on evidence-based therapies. I know that it can be difficult to talk about these events. That is why in therapy we will work at your pace to identify the impact that your trauma has had on your daily functioning. You will learn skills that help you express and regulate your feelings, challenge negative thinking patterns, and build healthy relationships.

Life can present us with many difficult challenges and transitions. I enjoy assisting my clients in improving their relationships, adjusting to life's changes and transitions, and improving stress management abilities. I provide a safe environment in which people can explore options and work towards self-empowerment, growth and resolution of their issues. I use a combination of solution-focused approaches to help people attain their personal goals and resolve trauma.

Are you feeling unhappy, hopeless, misunderstood, and/or burnt out? I believe in your capacity to lead a fulfilling and meaningful life. I'm here to offer support in witnessing and helping to untangle the threads of discontent, dissatisfaction, displeasure, and emotional turmoil. As a queer, trans, and Latinx therapist, I understand that there are multilayered forms of oppression that can impact our daily lives and sense of being. I specialize in concerns related to sexuality, gender, intimacy, relationships, anxiety, depression, and trauma. I’m a psychotherapist, gender therapist/gender specialist, and consultant.

I am passionate about supporting adults and teens facing the challenges of life in a way that helps them find sustained change. It is hard to live in this world and not question if our bodies, stories, and voices are “good enough.” We wonder if it is possible for us to be okay with who we are, and make different choices than we’ve made in the past. We often make decisions that are rooted in insecurity, leaving us trapped in anxiety. I value helping women learn to understand and respect their whole story on their own terms. Together we can define your own goals for change.