Therapists in Santa Barbara, CA

This has truly been a crazy time! If you are feeling overwhelmed, confused, lonely, sad, traumatized or any other normal, healthy reaction to crazy times, we totally get it. It's hard to get traction and make sense of things when nothing makes sense. You are not alone. We feel you, we're here for you, we want to help you. We've got amazing therapists here at Acorn who happen to be amazing humans also. We are all walking through this together. You don't have to do it alone. Please let us find you the right person to connect you with and get the support you need.

Do you see your own issues, but can't seem to think or "will" yourself into more productive behavior? Perhaps you have a wonderful mate and family, but you are stuck in the same old arguments and frustrations, and you know your family's communication could be better. Maybe you feel angry, or sad, and you just don't know why. Perhaps you are hoping to come to terms with something very unfortunate that has happened to you, either recently or long ago. If you want to feel better about yourself and others, you have come to the right place.

For many people it is hard to ask for help when it comes to sorting out the challenges of life. Making the decision to seek assistance from a therapist is courageous and can be rewarded with a safe, warm and supportive therapy environment. I work with people who often feel they are in crisis, experience anxiety or depression, have a low sense of self and struggle with the relationships in their lives but are motivated to gain insight and skills that are necessary to make lasting positive changes.

I enjoy working with children, adults, couples and families. I hold a Life Teaching Credential in California and I am a state licensed LMFT. Treatment considers personal relationships and psychodynamic introspection. Awareness of inspiration, aspiration and spirituality informs the search to realize personal potential and authenticity. Each person brings unique experiences and issues to the therapeutic process. My goal is to identify the issues and approach treatment in collaboration with my client, with compassion, practicality, support and effectiveness.

No matter how rewarding, being a parent can be extremely difficult. And amidst a global pandemic, support may be limited and anxieties high. Even in "normal" times, we can struggle to balance our needs with those of our children, to figure out how to discipline in a loving and effective way, and to help our kids develop and thrive. Through exploring one’s own childhood and relationships, a parent can better understand challenges surfacing around parenting, and achieve greater clarity and ownership in parenting decisions. My therapeutic approach helps parents work through challenges mindfully, with love and with confidence.

I work primarily with adults who seek therapy to improve their relationships, navigate life changes, and understand difficult patterns to generate more peace, joy, and authenticity. I’m able to support you with a range of concerns, including new parents, work related challenges, career growth, and women’s issues. In addition, I work with individuals to clarify their future goals, desired life path, and create new habits for wellbeing.

"Over the past 20 years I have supported clients in overcoming challenges and empowering their authentic selves. Through counseling, coaching, and group work, I've helped them activate their inner resources and realize their inherent potential. I believe growth is served by identifying and integrating core material which obstructs access to essence, passion, and life purpose. Enhancing self-awareness, employing mindfulness and nonviolence, I help clients listen to their Body's Intelligence ©, connect to inner wisdom, and take courageous action.

I have been working as a therapist/social worker with adults, children, and families since 1993. While I have been finding my own true self through Western psychotherapy, I began my journey on a Mystical Path; studying both Western psychology and Eastern Mystical Path, experiencing them, I came to integrate these two schools, incorporating both the Western and Eastern psychotherapy into my therapeutic work. In my practice, I use mystical stories, poems, and movements, when necessary.

Whoever you are, whether it be struggling with relationship issues, self-esteem, depression, anxiety, grief and loss, all the way to trying to come to terms with a more persistent diagnosis, I cannot wait to meet you exactly where you are at. I invite you to reach out to me in this time, as hard as that may be. Because this truly is the hardest part. And know that if we are not a good fit, I can direct you to other therapists that can hopefully be exactly what you need.

I am passionate about working with teens and young adults as they learn how to manage anxiety, depression and life's daily struggles. My practice focuses on a variety of relationship issues including intimate partner relationships, family dynamics, and friendships. My therapeutic approach is person centered and influenced by attachment theory.

Is stress, anxiety, or depression coming to the forefront? Has your relationship become challenging? Would you like to re-discover yourself or re-invent your relationship? I am here to support you in living from the experience of your authentic, best self, individually and in your partnership. Together we will expand your capacity to feel balanced, resourceful, and resilient and to live fully with positive change that can last. Our journey will be personalized and unique to your needs and goals. I support your self-discovery process, integrating mind, body, emotions, and spirit in wholeness.

Don’t keep waiting for things to change. If you found yourself here, you may be feeling down, confused, or lost. Perhaps things seem to be going from bad to worse or nowhere at all. You have likely been going it alone, but you deserve better. Seeking therapy can be scary, I know, but won’t it be just as challenging to let everything continue? You need some support, and though things may seem like a lot right now, I know how to help you through this.

Are you feeling anxious or stressed and find it hard to get out of your head? Do you feel consumed with worry? Perhaps you feel stuck in a sad place from a past loss or a present difficulty or feel little hope for the future. These feelings can cause us to isolate and feel misunderstood by others. Many times, people feel beaten down by the world and end up turning their experiences inward, feeding a harsh self-critic who makes us doubt or judge ourselves, taking us away from the power of our inner resources. When we feel disconnected to ourselves, it is harder to build trust to connect to others and the larger world.

As humans, our emotions can often be painful, confusing, and intense. Whether you are struggling with managing intense emotions, patterns of unhelpful coping, or are generally feeling lost or stuck in your life, I'm here to support and guide you in creating your unique life worth living. I strive to help my clients gain a new understanding of themselves and the world around them in a compassionate, safe, and accepting environment. Over the course of our work together, I will help you learn new ways to navigate the many challenges life throws our way and empower you to use the strengths that already lie within you.

Now accepting virtual clients throughout California and Florida! My name is Parisa and I'm a licensed therapist specializing in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, and depression. I also enjoy supporting clients who are exploring aspects of their identity or navigating life transitions and relational issues. I welcome people of all genders, sexualities, relationship orientations, abilities, ethnicities, and body sizes.

Everyone encounters some psychological stress. It doesn't have to be dramatic or pathological to have a major impact on the quality of your life. Sometimes, a difficult relationship can throw you off center. The far reaching effects of interpersonal conflict cannot be underestimated. To break unhealthy patterns, it's often necessary to seek help. At other times, you may face an existential crisis, searching for meaning and inner truth. Many high functioning clients suffer from Imposter Syndrome and want to understand why having it all doesn't add up to happiness. A stint of therapy can shed healing light on the mystery of life.

I am an MFT Trainee with Liberation Institute based out of San Francisco. My previous experience in mental health includes volunteering as a Crisis Counselor at Crisis Text Line, as well as minoring in Psychology at Cal Poly SLO. I am interested in IFS and psychodynamic approaches. I am supervised by Crystal Haviland, LPCC 7633.

My passion is helping children, adolescents and families overcome trauma, divorce, depression, anxiety, self-doubt and addiction. I welcome individuals and families to a safe nonjudgmental space with the goal of providing each client long lasting healing, personal growth and happiness. My therapeutic approach incorporates traditional talk therapy techniques complemented by therapeutic activities such as art, play, mindfulness exercises and music. I offer a holistic approach, this puts the client and their individual needs at the center of their treatment plan, while honoring the whole body; physically, emotionally and mentally.