Therapists in Santa Barbara, CA

Our mission is to provide quality online mental health and substance abuse services while breaking down the barriers of traditional, office based therapy. Traditional mental health and substance abuse treatment tends to focus on what makes you sick, what you are lacking but at The Mindful Lemon, our clinicians let you sit in the driver’s seat, focusing on your strengths and assets to help you become the best version of you! This can be via traditional talk therapy, medication management, mindfulness techniques, an emphasis on health, wellness and fitness or any combination of the above.

Immediate openings as of 04/2024. Welcome, I'm glad you are here to see how you could benefit from virtual therapy sessions. Creating meaningful change is difficult, but developing into the person you want to be is always worth the effort. Invest in yourself! I would be honored for an opportunity to help you explore who you are, how you are struggling, and how you want to move forward while developing the internal strength to be the best version of yourself. Join me for a process of self exploration, growth, and development while creating a more complete and positive sense of self.

Welcome! My name is Debbie, I founded Aspira Counseling to provide integrative services that require sensitivity, discretion, resourcefulness and creativity! In a fast changing world and time adaptation can be challenging, Aspira Counseling is constantly evolving too. With 20+ years of experience in drug and alcohol counseling, and almost 15 years experience in anger management, coparenting and domestic violence, the focus is shifting to serve families rather than individuals alone.

:Getting to the root of your pain, learning to deal with it, building upon your strengths then learning to act versus react to people and events is the goal of my approach. I have a long history of working with diverse populations, who have developed varied problems: Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Marital, Parenting, Occupational, grief and more My approach is to work with your strengths; help you to develop new views and skills and then organize them into a plan that works in obtaining your goals.

I have been in the field for the past 12 years and have had the privilege of working with many different communities. I have extensive experience with trauma, depression, anxiety, OCD, identity development (sexual and gender), relationship issues, domestic violence, self harm and suicidal ideation. I have worked on a college campus and am well versed with ADHD, Autism and academic issues as well.

Life can lead us down some pretty confusing paths sometimes, leaving us feeling crazy, unsettled, and totally lost. You don't have to feel like this forever. I work with individuals, couples, and teens who are really going through it - anxiety, panic and stress, relationship issues, PTSD, and unresolved issues that continue to impact current life. Many of my clients are insightful, curious, growth-oriented people who are seeking something beyond traditional therapy. My focus is on helping you to UN-learn all the crap you've taken on over the years that is weighing you down and freeing up whatever it is that seems to be stuck.

In 2020, I opened a private practice. I was blessed it grew to full capacity but dealt with sadness of turning people away due to no space. Frequently people shared their difficulties with finding therapy. I am tired of people and families, who are suffering emotionally not getting the help they need. So, I put together a group of several skilled clinicians. We operate by providing a therapy environment that is confidential and emotionally safe. We’re dedicated to making people feel comfortable and understood when discussing the most sensitive issues. Our goal is to ensure support that is empathetic and non-judgmental.

I work to assist adolescents and adults improve their self-esteem, address disordered eating, manage urges and engagement in self-harm, maintain safety, and continue to build and maintain healthy relationships. I also support the development of skills to improve concentration, anxiety management, emotional regulation, and socialization.

Life can be challenging, I am here to listen, encourage and empower you in reaching your life/family goals. If you are considering becoming a parent or are a parent, mental health is one of the most important investments you can make to help support you in the journey. Being a parent myself has also added to my experience and growth. I know firsthand how challenging, rewarding, and inspirational parenthood can be, as well as the transformation that mental health support can have on your life. I also enjoy and have extensive experience in working with young adults in their transition to independence.

Welcome to my practice. I have been in practice since 2007 and have been featured on ABC, NBC, and KCAL as an expert psychologist. I work primarily with men who have hit “rock bottom” and would like help getting up. These men are often in crisis when we first meet. The issues I address are typically related to unhealthy sexual behaviors, infidelity, financial recklessness, gambling, drugs/alcohol, dishonesty/lying, and relational conflicts. My therapy approach is a combination of psychoanalytic, cognitive-behavioral, and the 12-Step recovery model. I also share insight from my own painful but redemptive recovery journey.

When choosing a therapist, experience matters. As a seasoned psychotherapist, scholar, and consultant with substantial training, I know there is no set formula for you and your situation. My holistic approach includes attention to your unique circumstance and goals including emotional, spiritual, and psychological health from a mind, body, spirit, perspective. There is no substitute for working with a professional who is fully attentive and present to what you are bringing to the experience, whom you can trust in helping you meet your goals and enhance your life quality.

Are you experiencing emotional pain that has become too amplified to sustain in silence? Perhaps the burdens you have been carrying for so long are finally too heavy to manage alone. Unresolved past experiences, loss, dysfunctional relationships, and negative self-criticism can hinder our ability to navigate the difficulties life throws our way. Let’s work together to create a therapeutic relationship built on hope and trust.

It is an honor to accompany individuals into the psyche where our deepest wounds are sometimes hidden. Healing energies can often be found in those depths, stimulating growth toward a more whole, authentic and satisfying existence. Sometimes the pain is on the surface, and symptom relief is necessary to allow the individual to return to a more effective functioning level. This can be accomplished through a combination of cognitive approaches (i.e., Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) and body-centered approaches (i.e., focusing, embodied dream work, mindfulness).

Are you feeling anxious, irritable or sad? Are you having difficulty in your relationships at home or at work? You don't have to go through this alone. We can often struggle in a life situation or circumstance and just feel stuck. What I know is that it is almost always possible to feel better and gain clearer insights into what makes us happy and what gets in our way. My approach in therapy is both humanistic and psychodynamic, with the core principles of mindfulness and self-compassion at the heart of my practice.

Do you believe the events of 2020 and beyond have shaped our current collective experience? I believe so and if you do as well maybe this is a time to start the work around enhancing mood, being less stressed, and improving interpersonal relationships. Therapy can be the first step in identifying goals and taking care of needs that may have been neglected during the pandemic and possibly throughout your life. Are you living your best possible life? If so, maybe there are a few small things that are requiring some minor adjustments and if not lets start on this journey together to the first day to the best days of your life.

If you’re reading this, that probably means that you are in a place where you have tried a lot of things to feel better, or help your loved one feel better and just don’t know what else to do. I would love to help support you on this journey. Therapy is a collaboration between two individuals (therapist and client) and when successful, truly amazing things can occur within this space. I use the relationship between my clients and I to help them build insight and awareness into the way they show up in the world.

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.

Thank you for considering beginning psychotherapy with me. My Ph.D. is in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Depth Psychology. My training has allowed me to help people resolve problems where they have been otherwise unsuccessful. I have developed many innovative and evidence-based treatments that may be of interest to you or your loved ones.

I work with individuals, couples, and families of all ages and backgrounds, creating a treatment plan that is unique to you or your family. I incorporate a variety of evidence-based modalities and psychodynamic approaches to strengthen emotional regulation, build interpersonal skills, and address the impact of traumatic encounters. Through the therapeutic process, we will begin to establish safety and trust, explore unconscious beliefs, and enhance self-awareness and compassion. I have over 10 years of experience working in mental health and am passionate about the human experience and emotional well-being.