Therapists in Santa Monica, CA

The privilege of working with clients is the way each individual strength and barrier is presented in a session. An ideal client is one who is open to the therapeutic process and recognizes the art of healing through time, directed interventions and collaboration. Therapy and the therapist are tools, meant to magnify your process and highlight the route in feeling cared for and attended to with me. I do not require the "perfect" client, I seek the curious wonderment that recognizes the wisdom in their pain but open to the hope in their heart.

Successfully managing through college and early adulthood can be challenging. Many of my clients find themselves sacrificing mental health for academic and career success or have difficulties with motivation, confidence, and relationships. While stress is a normal and expected part of life, I help my clients manage anxiety and OCD without feeling hopeless, overwhelmed, or alone. I also support the building of communication skills and boundary-setting to better navigate and nurture important relationships with family, friends, and romantic partners.

In short, I love my work. I get to help individuals grow and become more of who they are. As they are better able to cope with obstacles such as stress, anxiety, and depression, I watch them find greater fulfillment in their relationships, career/academics, and overall wellbeing. In my practice I treat a breadth of concerns ranging from psychiatric symptoms (e.g., depression, anxiety, eating disorders) to relationship issues, family issues, low self confidence, trauma, and grief.

The unpredictability of life can often take a toll on our mental well-being. Recently, teens and young adults have found themselves experiencing anxiety and struggling with life and relational transitions at higher rates. While these thoughts and feelings are normal, my goal is to help you work through these difficulties by creating a safe and comfortable environment. As a recent California resident, those I work with often compliment my Canadian warmth and humor, stating it sets me apart from those they have worked with in the past. If you’re a teenager or young adult who is looking for a genuine connection, look no further!

Marlu Harris offers loving support, kindness, guidance and education. Licensed for 28 years, Marlu provides mindful psychotherapy to help people move through pain to self-love by assisting them in healing their emotional wounds while providing tools for self-help. She specializes in working with young adults who are carving out their identities as they separate from their family of origin, concentrating on creativity and identity, both spiritual and career development through bibliotherapy (reading) and journaling (writing) for those interested in expanding into the best version of themselves.

Hello, my name is Cathy Diaz, and I am a bilingual Latinx therapist. I am a culturally sensitive therapist dedicated to counseling various ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds including adolescents and adults. I bring my warm sense of compassion as well as my exceptional care to the treatment I provide in my work. As an empath, I am committed to deeply understanding my clients.

Psychotherapist, private practice, adult, child and family psychotherapy, child custody mediation, co-parenting counseling, couples counseling, reunification counseling, stress reduction, and mindfulness meditation. Other areas of specialization include anxiety, depression, addiction, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and career counseling. I offer both in person and remote sessions.

All of us create patterns of behavior in our formative years to help us survive real and perceived dangers. What are those patterns? How have those patterns inhibited our lives today? How can we break free from those patterns and develop a more alive and integrated sense of self?

I have found that disruptions in our lives carry on in our nervous systems, sometimes arising at inopportune times. Often, it is in these times we seek support; whether dealing with the loss of a loved one, a sudden traumatic event, the onset of anxiety or a reliance on alcohol or medications. I will create an environment that encourages reflection, honesty, and compassion to help you find growth, self-reliance and an eventual return to health. I will work with you to get through the most challenging times with courage and boundless growth.

Therapy can help you to 1) discover what the underlying issues may be impacting you in the present 2) process/work through and resolve those issues so your life in the present and future can be different from the past 3) realize your goals and life's purpose 4) feel more empowered/ less "out of control" 5) engage more fully/effectively in your relationships, career and life. I also offer Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy and psychedelic integration. If you have any questions- just ask!

In therapy with me you will feel understood and supported. I utilize a compassionate strengths-based approach along with engaging, profound, and varied interventions such as mindfulness, art therapy, sand-tray and humour that increase a sense of self awareness and inner-wisdom leading to emotional well-being. ~ En terapia conmigo, usted se sentira' plenamente entendida/o y apoyada/o. Mi enfoque es compasivo, basado en hacer brillar las fortalezas de mis clientes. Utilizo intervenciones profundas y variadas, incluyendo arte y humor, que incrementan su consciencia personal para lograr un estado estable de bienestar emocional.

I am a psychotherapist licensed therapist in California and Arizona with over 15 years of experience. My approach is psychoanalytic and collaborative in nature and I have an enduring interest in psychological crises and struggles within relationships. I'm interested in how our attachment histories can contribute to our current states and how they've shaped who we are.

Do you struggle with anxiety, perfectionism, and not feeling "good enough"? Are you unhappy with your weight, food, and your body image, or compulsively overeat? Are your relationships unfulfilling? Have you lost touch with (or feel you've never found) your inner wisdom? Do you struggle with chronic illness? If so, there is hope. Together we can bolster your resilience, courage, and ability to make constructive changes in your life. As a relationship specialist, I can also help you to improve your communication skills and relationship dynamics, so you can connect better to other people - and to yourself.

You are anxious, depressed, overwhelmed, and feeling disconnected. It might be difficult to express what and how you have been feeling, which perpetuates the original distress. Sources of these feelings may begin with trauma, life transitions, or conflict with yourself or loved ones. These feelings can make us feel stagnant, but there is hope. The beautiful part of this is that you are willing to seek help and ultimately find meaning and purpose in your human experience. I will meet you right where you are at.

Do you repeat the same stupid fights, interrupting the times you could enjoy each other? Do you miss the connection you had at the start of your relationship? Would you like to communicate without conflict, hearing each other and easily resolving differences? Bobby and I are a couple who struggled with these issues ourselves. With over 50 years’ combined experience, we found solutions and created powerful tools and skill-sets for success. We find that differences dissolve with deep connection, and would love to support your emotional, relational, creative and spiritual well-being. We both care deeply and are highly creative.

I help facilitate the development of a conscious balance in your life. Loss, trauma, dysfunctional relationships, addiction, creative blocks and much more can keep you stuck and stall development. I work with adult clients to help them mine the unconscious and reveal the connection between this material and behaviors and patterns that obstruct vitality. This starts with the establishment of a sound trusting therapeutic relationship. From this foundation, I support and guide you in uncovering and recovering your own resources and strengths.

I work with people from all walks of life. Everyone is unique and so each client has a treatment plan that is tailored to their individual needs. People who see me for psychological treatment are often experiencing low mood, anxiety, difficulty relaxing, excessive criticism and low self esteem. Many have experienced a significant loss or a traumatic life event.​ I will help you to better understand how your present responses (emotional, behavioral, emotional and physical) are influenced by your past experiences. Working collaboratively with you, I will facilitate a safe space for you to reflect, process and grow.