Adoption Therapists in Santa Clarita, CA
See all therapists in Santa Clarita
Dr. Melissa Jinariu With Therapy So-Cal
Psychologist, PsyD, LMFT
Verified
Verified
My associates and I specialize in pediatrics, trauma,
adoption
competent, and spiritually integrated therapy.
As a parent, it can be heart-breaking to watch your child or teen struggle with worries, sadness, friendship difficulties, or behavior problems. Or perhaps you or your child has been through something tragic, overwhelming, or terrifying. If you feel stuck in repeated patterns, triggers, or unwanted memories, we can help. We will work with you and/or your child to improve coping and quality of life. Your family's path to healing starts with a call to my practice: Therapy SoCal.

Rachael Parsons Svendsen
Marriage & Family Therapist, MS, LMFT
Verified
3 Endorsed
Verified
3 Endorsed
*If you are looking for trauma informed,
adoption
competent, attachment focused supervision as a pre-licensed professional, contact me today.* Each of us faces unique struggles in our lives and it can be easy to lose hope. Your story may include obstacles such as trauma, abuse, mental health issues, grief, and loss. Together, we can move forward by incorporating resiliency, connection, and growth to your personal and family narrative.

Makenna Lilya
Marriage & Family Therapist
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
Starting therapy can sometimes feel daunting. I am here to get to know you and support you through the highs, lows, and everything in between! Through my experiences in graduate school and into licensure, I have put my energy towards developing my skills and passion for working with families, children, individuals, and parents through a multitude of needs and diagnoses.I have worked extensively with children, families, teens, and young adults, and am certified in TF-CBT (Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy).

Michelle Walker
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
Verified
Hi there, I'm Michelle (Micki)! I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Advanced Drug and Alcohol Counselor. I specialize in addiction, trauma, crisis intervention, family issues, and sexual and life difficulties. I provide services to teenagers, 16 and up, males, females, couples, veterans, addicts, and alcoholics. I utilize techniques from CBT, Client/Person-Centered Therapy, Solution Focused, Strength Based, Trauma Informed, Humanistic Therapy, Modern Therapy, Life Transitions, Adjustment Therapy, and Family Systems Therapy modalities.

Relinda Vanderwal Fisher
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
Verified
The purpose of my practice is to provide a safe space, a sanctuary of sorts, where I guide you to discover insights and strengths about yourself within the context of your relationships. Your context might include such things profound adversity, compound losses, grief, caregiving for those with chronic health issues, parenting, life transitions, aging, caring for aging loved ones and navigating these unique family and relational dynamics, all within a range of mental health concerns. There is much to be gained when we are intent on building healthier and stronger relationships with our loved ones, the treasures of our lives.

Armine Asatryan
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
Accepting new clients * Specializing in Anxiety * Are you feeling anxious and overwhelmed? Maybe you are feeling sad, stressed, or stuck. Are you having issues in your relationships? Do you wish to break cycles of behaviors and situations? I am here for you. My approach is integrative and specific to each client. I strive to help guide clients towards self-awareness, insight, and better relationships with themselves and others. I balance listening with practical and structured interventions to help clients both inside and outside of session.

Carolyn Scordino
Marriage & Family Therapist, MS, LMFT
Verified
Verified
Do you feel hurt or frustrated that you have tried repeatedly to communicate a need or desire in your relationship only to be left feeling misunderstood, unheard, disappointed and in conflict? Do you feel discouraged that nothing will ever change? I can help you feel encouraged in your relationships and together we can create change. When issues go continually unresolved, we may begin to experience feelings of anger and frustration which may lead to feelings of hopelessness, sadness,and anxiety. We may try to mask our pain through substance abuse, extra-marital affairs and other destructive behaviors.

Aaron Kellogg
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, AMFT
Verified
3 Endorsed
Verified
3 Endorsed
I love working with clients who want to grow through the therapeutic process. These clients get more out of therapy because they are looking for more than simple validation of their experiences. They want to understand themselves at a deeper level, a level that is difficult to achieve without truly questioning one's own motives and how the sub-conscious impacts their behavior.

Denise Payne
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
My goal is to help you uncover your true potential and lead a life that is worth celebrating. We can work together to better understand and resolve challenges in your life. By applying complementary therapy approaches and techniques, we will unearth long-standing behavior patterns or negative perceptions that may be holding you back from experiencing a more fulfilling and meaningful life.
If you're looking for extra support and guidance through a challenging situation or you're just ready to move in a new direction in your life, I look forward to working with you to achieve your goals.

Mollie Lyddane
Psychologist, PsyD, MA
Verified
Verified
I practice a variety of different therapeutic styles designed to best address your own particular needs. Genuineness, empathy, and warmth serve as foundational elements of my way of relating. I place emphasis on facilitating an environment where you can feel safe to investigate life experiences in greater depth, identify and question deeply held beliefs that have been influencing your life, connect to and express emotions and bodily sensations as they arise in the context of our discovery process, and ultimately move towards developing a greater sense of strength, wholeness, and openness within yourself as you move forward.

Frank Sanchez
Psychologist, PhD
Verified
Verified
Even the strongest people need help to work through some of life's more challenging problems. You may have noticed that you have been experiencing problems sleeping, problems in your relationships or problems functioning at work. Everyone has hurdles to overcome that sometimes include being weighed down by self-doubt, shame, worry, loneliness and only seeing what you did wrong. You may ask yourself “how can I continue like this”, well you don’t have to. It is possible to change and love your life.

Melissa Shaver
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
Verified
Are you finding yourself using coping skills that are no longer working? The minute we find balance life always likes to throw in a curveball that can throw us off, and I am here to help! Working with adults, families, and children I can help you find better ways to cope and support you through this journey of life. If you are looking to find support for your child or yourself, I help clients reach their goals by providing tools, information, and support.
Waitlist for new clients

Amanda J Hills
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, MSW, LCSW
Verified
Verified
Are you a parent in search of help for yourself, your child, or your teen? Sometimes it can be difficult for children to reach their full potential. School problems, anger management, ADHD, peer relationships, low self-esteem, anxiety or depression are only some of the challenges that face kids today. With extensive experience providing therapy to adults, families, children, and adolescents, I can assist you in establishing better communication patterns and developing healthy family relationships. I utilize a holistic approach and focus on strengths, in order to help you meet your therapeutic goals.

Barbara Ferrari
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
Verified
Barbara Ferrari, LMFT is a Los Angeles-based licensed marriage and family therapist with over thirty years of experience treating mental health issues and working with the dual diagnosed population. My professional services, which operate in a philosophy of hope, optimism, and belief in the benefits of patient and professional counseling, center on creating personalized strategies that encourage growth and healing in the individual, family unit, and community as a whole.

Leighton James Reynolds
MS, PhD
Four years ago I began working with professional athletes and traumatic brain injuries. This opened a huge door for me to understanding that there are many un-diagnosed brain injuries in the US resulting not just from professional sports, but car accidents, bicycle accidents, falls, and a wide assortment of ways in which children, adolescents, and adults receive a blow to the head. Our brains are much more fragile than previously understood. Be aware: chronic pain, chronic fatigue, constant headaches, brain fog, dizziness, loss of balance, poor memory, sensitivity to light/sound, poor sleep patterns, depression/anxiety.

SCV Counseling Center
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT, MA, PhD
Verified
Verified
Childcare is provided during your session. Bring the kids to spend time at our Kid's Room, while you get treatment from our therapists. All of our therapists hold a minimum of a master's degree in a psychology-related field that qualifies them with the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) to provide counseling/therapy in California. Sessions are available in-person as well as online via telehealth. We are accepting new clients now and can get you an appointment within 2-3 days. Open every day apart from Sundays, from 10:30 AM to late evening.

The Mindful Lemon
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
Verified
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.

Chasity M Bustos
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
Verified
How do you know you're healing? You have already taken the first step. I will guide you with creating empowerment and the confidence needed to overcome any of life's struggles. In my practice with children, I utilize sand tray play and art therapy to assist with building resilience and coping skills. Some of my passions include working with families and providing a safe place to open up allowing the family to feel whole again.

Debbie Reed
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
6 Endorsed
Verified
6 Endorsed
Would you like more from your marriage? Desiring a deeper connection and more understanding? Would you like to know how to resolve your differences in a way that strengthens your relationship? Are you wanting to deepen your friendship with your spouse? After years of marriage, many couples find themselves wondering how they got off track. This is common and there are reasons why this happens. I can help you reconnect with your spouse, learn to communicate better, and solve your problems together. Don't settle for a disconnected or stuck marriage another day. I can help!

Kat Ralph
Associate Clinical Social Worker, ACSW
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
Welcome, I am so glad you are here. Life is hard, and finding a therapist is even harder! My goal is to create a safe, collaborative environment -- one where you are respected, seen, and empowered! My ideal client is Queer, Trans, Gender non-conforming, or exploring their gender and sexual identities!
See more therapy options for
Adoption Therapists
Does my adopted child need therapy?
Not every adopted child needs therapy. However, many can benefit from seeing an adoption-informed therapist, especially if they were victims of abuse or neglect, appear withdrawn or disconnected, have behavioral or developmental issues (which may or may not be related to their adoption), are struggling with feelings of grief or loss surrounding their birth parents, or find it difficult to establish an identity, a challenge that often becomes most apparent during adolescence.
When should adoptive parents seek therapy?
Prospective parents can benefit from therapy even before an adoption—for example, to voice worries and fears; to reconcile infertility struggles, if relevant; or simply to prepare themselves for parenthood. After the adoption, parents who are struggling to bond with their child; are unsure how to talk about adoption or related issues, such as race; or whose child is dealing with developmental, behavioral, or psychiatric concerns can address these and other issues with the help of an adoption-competent therapist.
Is family therapy appropriate for adoptive families?
Family therapy can be invaluable for strengthening the bond between adoptive parents and children, helping the latter feel more secure in their place in the family. Family therapy can also help adoptive families navigate complex communication issues—for example, parents who feel uncomfortable discussing race with their child, who in turn feels invalidated by their silence, or a child who has questions about his birth parents but avoids asking them out of fear of hurting his adoptive parents’ feelings.
What therapy is not appropriate for adoption issues?
A discredited therapy known as “attachment therapy” (sometimes called “holding therapy” or “rebirthing therapy”) should not be used to treat adopted and foster children, though it was largely designed for this population. Attachment therapy involves restraining, coercing, and punishing the child in order for them to “release” negative emotions and attach to their new caregivers—techniques that are abusive and dangerous and have even proven fatal in some cases.