LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapists in Santa Clarita, CA

Hello there. You have taken the first step towards healing by just being here. Welcome. Healing takes bravery and lots of hard work, and I am here to support you with your process. I am a Registered Art Therapist, LMFT, and the Owner and Clinical Director of The Artful Healing Center. The Artful Healing Center is a mental health practice dedicated to providing LGBTQ + inclusive, affirming, and creative counseling.

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!

Life brings us many challenges and changes, which can disruptive and effect our mood and motivation negatively. I bring 20 years of experience of working with individuals who are either experiencing pain or who are feeling "stuck," because of life transitions. My passion lies in helping individuals, families and couples who struggle with depression, anxiety and communication issues. I utilize practical and realistic interventions that will strengthen their coping, to help them achieve their ultimate goals. I also work with couples who are experiencing miscommunication issues and are striving to strengthen their bond.

Rachelle’s main focus is to cultivate positivity, strength, and resiliency in her clients for a healthier lifestyle and well-being. Mental wellness encompasses strengthening and balancing your mental health, physical health, and support system. In order to thrive, we need to focus on every aspect of ourselves – everything is connected! Rachelle provides an empathetic, collaborative, safe and nourishing space for all to increase optimism & resiliency. She encourages and normalizes mental wellness through her work as a therapist as well as in the community.

Establishing a trusting relationship and working collaboratively with our clients is our primary goal. My name is Samantha Markman and I have hand selected a team of excellent therapists with various specialties. We strive to create a therapeutic space of comfort and support, as we work with you to explore deep personal issues and experiment with new ways of thinking. We work with a wide range of clients that are dealing with various issues including depression, anxiety, infidelity, postpartum issues, addictive behaviors, LGBT issues, eating disorders, codependency, grief and loss, life transitions, and various types of trauma.

I am a native California and have well over 15 years experience as a marriage and family therapist working with diverse cultures, people and sexual orientations. The areas I have focused on with my clients include grief and loss, identity crisis, sexual confusion, LGBTQ + issues, anxiety, depression, PTSD, relationship problems, career dissatisfaction, even questions of faith and finding meaning in life.

Too often, we feel we are surviving rather than thriving. Do you feel stuck in grief or loss, or that your anxiety is running the show? Are your relationships painful or not satisfying?Perhaps you are worried about the way you feel- powerless, lonely, sad or overwhelmed. Parenting is hard! Maybe you are a new parent and it isn't what you expected, or even hoped for. Nobody tells you about the postpartum experience -that internal voice in your head that is constantly critiquing the new role of motherhood you're taking on, mourning the version of yourself you once were. Not to mention the pain that comes with a birth plan gone wrong.

Are you feeling stuck, confused, or in pain? Life can be difficult and confusing; it can be helpful to have someone to guide you in utilizing your strengths and gaining skills to navigate life more effectively. I offer clients a compassionate, nonjudgmental space to work together on getting you "unstuck." I work well with clients who have issues with anxiety or have experienced traumatic events. I have a lot of experience and passion for working with clients who identify as LGBTQ and/or are in the arts. I work primarily from an empathetic, relational approach and can incorporate EMDR and DBT into our work as well.

Jackie specializes working with teens (ages 13-17), adults, parents, and families. She has experience working with the LGBTQIA + and BIPOC community, offering an affirming outlook in a safe and caring environment. She has clinical experience working with trauma, life transitions and mood disorders. Her educational and professional backgrounds include trainings in Nurturing Parenting Program and Triple P Parenting Teen which focuses on strengthening the parent-teen relationship and the family system. Jackie focuses in providing therapy that is culturally relevant and compassionate. She uses play, art, and writing as a tool in therapy.

It takes trust and courage to explore our emotional well-being, to resolve maladaptive behaviors, addictions, and to work on personal growth. My areas of expertise are in Humanistic, Existential, Family Systems, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapies. I encourage personal responsibility, self-actualization, and self-awareness utilizing strength-based advocacy with empathy and authenticity. If you are ready to improve your personal experiences and interpersonal relationships, reach out and we will get started on your next and best chapter.

I am an Associate Marriage & Family Therapist who values authenticity, balance, and connection. My therapeutic approach is warm, compassionate, and sensible while providing a safe, inclusive, client-centered, and collaborative environment for clients to explore, grow, and communicate. I support clients in exploring their behavior, thoughts, and emotions, in an effort to live a life that honors their core values and most authentic, genuine selves. I believe there is no "one size fits all” approach to therapy and meeting clients where they are at in their process.

A strong therapeutic relationship is founded by offering an environment that is non-judgmental, open, supportive and is collaborative. I work as a team with you, to encourage and help you reduce unwanted thoughts, worries, feelings of hopelessness and to make positive changes in your life. Through the process, you and I will explore the past, current stressors and worries that impact you today. I will work with you to build effective coping skills, build new opportunities and possibilities, while allowing you to grow, change, enlighten and bring balance to your life.

NOMINATED, SOCIAL WORKER OF THE YEAR 2013, BY THE PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKER'S ASSOCIATION, LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPT. OF MENTAL HEALTH. I have extensive experience related to all adolescent issues along with family therapy. I have a strong background in dealing with substance abuse issues. I provide effective strategies to cope with any mood related problems. I had additional training at USC focusing on school related problems. I have experience in working with individuals who have experienced some form of trauma.

Are you ready to change your life for the better? No matter what you are going through, remember: you are not your problem! Life is both complicated and stressful, and we are not born with "how-to" instructions or "live-life-this-way" manuals. We are all in a process of trying to find personal security while feeling our way through life. I invite you to work with me to untangle and understand your life, increase personal security and life satisfaction, and resolve issues and symptoms that are holding you back from becoming the person you really want to be.

Are you feeling taken advantage of and have trouble setting boundaries? I understand the struggles with codependency and can assist in the process of setting healthy boundaries. One of my specialties is the recovery from narcissistic abuse. This emotional abuse is manipulative and destructive, all while publicly presenting as charming, helpful, and normal. Anxiety, depression, gastrointestinal issues, other manifestations of trauma can occur after suffering through emotional abuse and trauma. There is help for it and I'm here to help you.

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Inadequate, anxious, or disconnected? Are you or your loved ones repeating behaviors, relationships, or situations, and wishing you could break the cycle? Maybe little things feel more frustrating or exhausting than usual. Sometimes, we aren't sure what causes our distress, but we can sense we're not reaching our potential for health, happiness, or success. And even when we know the cause, change can still feel impossible. That's where I come in. My job is not to judge you--it's to listen, help you understand the root causes of your difficulties, and teach you practical tools to help change your life.

Do you desire to move forward but don’t understand what may be holding you back? Are you seeking a supportive partner in your healing process? What is important to you when working with a therapist? I follow the notion that the relationship is one of the most important aspects of the healing process and utilize it as one of the main tools in the work with my clients. Whether it is processing trauma, exploring anxiety or depression, addressing relationship issues, or getting through a transitional phase of life, among many other reasons, sometimes therapy with a strong therapeutic relationship as a foundation can make a difference.

Let's face it...life happens! We try our best to make the environment around us as comfortable as possible for ourselves, and many times we succeed. Then, there are those times when we just feel stuck and frustrated, perhaps even discouraged. Often, if we stay in those 'stuck' places for too long, we end up feeling depressed, anxious, stressed, angry, insecure, vulnerable, unmotivated, or just plain moody. It almost feels like there's some hidden knowledge that could unlock that 'stuck' feeling and let us get back to, or begin, feeling motivated and confident about the direction of our lives.

Living a satisfying and fulfilling life is in large part dependent on the quality of our relationships both with ourselves and those around us. Our greatest joys and woes are often experienced within the context of our relationships. If there are areas in your life where you are experiencing distress I believe I can help. I am committed to creating a safe and supportive environment where together we can work to increase awareness and better understand patterns, themes, thoughts, feelings and behaviors that are causing distress.