Therapists in Santa Barbara, CA

I work with kids, teenagers and adults to help them heal from past trauma and develop more meaningful and peaceful lives. I love working with people experiencing major life transitions and finding new ways to approach those transitions with calm and ease. I also love working with new parents as they transition into their role caring for children, as this can often be a life change that brings up challenges experienced in their own childhood. My clients express gratitude that I am warm and approachable in the treatment I provide and help them feel safe, sometimes for the first time in their life.

Do you feel anxious, frustrated, or overwhelmed living within this CIS gendered binary restrictive patriarchal society? You do not have to continue to feel this way. I can help you expand your breadth of coping tools, communication techniques, and other skills that could help bring relief.

Welcome to my practice!  I am a licensed clinical psychologist and consultant.  I specialize in using science based information and strategies to help my clients change their mindsets, increase self-worth, and overcome negative coping mechanisms.  Areas of specialty include anxiety, eating disorders, addiction, and empowering clients on how to use their mind to change their brain, so that they may reach their potential. My approach is strongly influence by Interpersonal Neurobiology, Psychodynamic Theory, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. I also offer EMDR, an evidence based therapy for trauma.

As your therapist, I strive to empower you to overcome personal challenges, activate your inner resources, develop a deeper level of trust in your self and your inherent potential, and reclaim ownership of your life and purpose. I have an affinity for working with clients seeking to transform their lives and enhance their relationships with themselves, others, and the natural world. Improved emotional intelligence, mindful self-awareness, communication skills, trauma and grief processing---will support you in developing self-compassion, eliminating personal obstacles, coping with your daily life, and finding a more balanced, attuned, and connected way of being.

Are you down on yourself, overwhelmed with the demands of life, with anxiety that you won’t or can’t measure up to others? Are you worried, angry or depressed about the state of the world today? Do you wonder what the point of it all is, how you fit into it, if you even do? Who are you, really? What’s the real purpose of your life, if there even is one? Life transitions, crises, or problems in relationships, family, work or school may have triggered these kind of questions or feelings. Or you may have grappled with these issues for most of your life. How can you find some peace or meaning in all of this confusion and distress?

Life presents us with many challenges. Do you want a compassionate space to pursue growth and healing? I understand it takes courage to start therapy, and I'm glad you are here, finding the right therapist for you. I specialize in the treatment of anxiety, social anxiety, panic, trauma, and ADHD.

My clients present with mild-severe anxiety/depression, most often caused by trauma, grief/loss, emotional pain from attachment trauma experienced in childhood, due to various family dysfunctions. Most feel isolated, lonely and confused in their struggles, often ashamed that they cannot cope and too fearful to ask for help. Reaching out is a courageous step, and my clients seek to find relief from overwhelming emotions, to tell their story, be heard, seen, validated and understood from their perspective. In our sessions they improve awareness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation and coping through insight and renewed clarity.

It is a courageous act to take the first step in pursuing therapy, and I feel honored to assist those beginning this process. My goal in working with people is to help cultivate the balance between finding grace in being present with life experiences, and the motivation to create meaningful changes in one’s life. If you are looking to begin the work of introspection and crafting the story of your life that you want to live, whether it may be in the areas of developing emotional coping skills or improving your relationships, I am here to help.

New Clients Welcome! I offer a Free 15-minute consultation. I'm glad you are taking these first steps in seeking help and investing in your mental health. I can assist you with decreasing and managing any psychologically distressing symptoms and increasing and improving your overall mental health and well-being. I specialize in anxiety, depression, sex therapy, psychedelic-assisted therapy, sexual trauma, and all types of trauma. I also specialize in working with bipolar disorder, OCD, LGBTQ+ issues, PTSD and more. I hold a Doctorate degree (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology and am a licensed Psychologist.

I specialize in treating OCD and Anxiety related disorders. For over six years I worked with hundreds of clients with OCD, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Anxiety Disorders and Compulsive Skin Picking and Hair Pulling (BFRB's) with the OCD Center of Los Angeles. For OCD and Anxiety related disorders I provide Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Exposure and Response Prevention, Mindfulness Training and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. For BFRB's, therapies include Habit Reversal Training, the ComB Approach, Mindfulness and ACT. Every therapy I provide is supported by science and all the work I do with clients is collaborative.

Life can throw us unexpected curveballs, and it’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed. I am here to empower you to thrive through whatever you are navigating, whether you are logging in from your car on your lunch break, connecting in your dorm room between study sessions, or from the comfort of your own home after a long day at work. I will offer a safe and supportive space for you to better understand who you are and equip you with supportive tools to thrive despite adversity.

My ideal client seeks therapy for healing & well-being. Our collaborative goals might be: reduce distress, build coping skills & form secure relationships with others and themselves. My client seeks a safe & supportive environment to process emotions, thoughts & behaviors. They want to feel empowered & lead a fulfilling life.

My clients are often deeply curious individuals looking to cultivate a sense of fulfillment and self-understanding. While many have histories of complex trauma and/or addiction, others have struggles more rooted in the present moment, such as challenges with relationships or executive functioning. As a therapist, my role is to cultivate a container of trust that allows your innate inner wisdom to emerge. We work together to compassionately witness the patterns keeping you locked in cycles of dysfunction. From there, we experiment with strategies to help you feel more embodied and capable of initiating change in your life.

Balancing the demands of life, relationships, career, family, and the changes in the world around us can be challenging. Having someone who can provide a space to be heard, as well as paths to becoming our best selves as we balance these demands can be life-changing. My approach is to understand the needs of each client and provide a welcoming space where they feel safe and heard, while utilizing evidence-based psychotherapy practices to make changes that support greater happiness and life satisfaction for clients.

I love to work with individuals who are driven by an innate need to self-actualize, and who are motivated to find meaning and happiness in life. Folks who have been through a lot, and therefore look at the world from a spiritual lens. Individuals who are interested in exploring relationships, career, spirituality, the purpose of life, and want to cultivate a practice (like meditation). They might be experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, or personality related concerns in some or most of these aspects, and are hoping to receive clarity, care, and understanding in a safe therapeutic space.

Finding a therapist can be a hard endeavor. You’re looking for someone you can open up to, trust and share in some of the most painful and most intimate parts of your life. It takes vulnerability and courage to reach out and finding someone you can trust to open up to is a big piece in if therapy will work for you. If you’re browsing psychology today, you are probably looking for a caring face and a professional you can trust to navigate this season in life with. I’d be honored to join you on this journey.

Do you ever feel you're drifting through life, not fulfilled or passionate about your relationships, purpose, or career like you used to? Whether it be due to past traumas, toxic and abusive relationships, or lack of self-worth and purpose. Sometimes, we can come to a point in our lives where we feel we're constantly under stress, bored, disconnected, stagnant, and insignificant. If you can resonate with any of these feelings I want to work with you, and create a new sense of fulfillment and passion back into your life, relationships, and career. My approach is direct, clear, and practical with no judgments or shame.

Are you feeling confused or stuck in your relationships or just life in general? Are you unsure how to change your situation, or feel like nothing seems to make much difference? Taking the first step to make a change can be scary and takes courage. I am so glad you are here. I believe one of the bravest things you can do is begin to understand your own story.

Are you trying to figure out your next move in life? Are you in the midst of a break up or struggling to set boundaries with family? Perhaps you're contemplating whether to leave a job, but feeling overwhelmed, anxious, scared, stuck, or depressed? Maybe you don't even know what you're feeling, but you know that you don't feel good. Perhaps you're burned out, but can't place your finger on what is making you feel that way. I will help you to get to the core of these feelings and we will work together to get you in a place where you feel like you are in the driver's seat of your own life with a clear road map of where to go next.