Therapists in Santa Monica, CA

My mission is to help clients (both individuals and couples) navigate the struggles and challenges of life while reminding them to celebrate their strengths and successes. We are not often taught how to tolerate discomfort, but I want to help you reshape those feelings into pathways towards growth, self-esteem and fulfillment. I am active and involved in your therapy sessions, and will provide you with both structure and space as needed.

I am an integrative psychologist with expertise in psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, & gestalt approaches. I believe in empowering others to honestly get to know themselves & clarify their needs so they can make choices that enhance relationships & bring them closer to their goals. I work with children & adults with past traumatic experiences, interpersonal difficulties, anxiety, & depression. I conduct comprehensive psychological testing to address questions related to Giftedness, ADHD, Mood/Personality, Learning Challenges/Need for Accommodations, Intellectual Ability, Learning/Memory, Attention/Executive Functioning, Etc.

Balance CBT is the name of my private practice. I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist (PSY27841) and an expert in the assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders and related conditions. My primary focus is providing evidence-based or "known to work" treatments for anxiety-related problems. While I place very high value on research-driven treatments, I strongly believe that compassion, validation, and a powerful relationship are cornerstones to effective therapy. I am a member of the clinical faculty at UCLA and hold positions in the departments of psychiatry and psychology.

While curating from the recent developments in the field of neuroscience, I utilize a variety of modalities to help people re-connect with themselves and others. As a certified Imago Relationship Therapist, I specialize in helping couples re-build safety, improve communication, and decrease tension. I am also incorporating techniques from PACT Therapy: A Psycho-biological Approach to Couple's Therapy, which guides couples towards a more secure functioning relationship. Please feel free to call for a free consultation.

Are you struggling emotionally from a divorce or other challenging life transitions? Are you feeling like life just isn’t working for you? Whether you are experiencing deep loss, sadness, or other intrusive feelings, please know that therapy can help. It is my passion to assist people in working through the difficult times in their lives. Prior to becoming a psychologist, I worked for 16 years in Family Law & Mediation assisting clients through the divorce process. I offer individual psychotherapy, divorce support & recovery counseling, couples counseling, and divorce support groups. I would be honored to work with you.

Welcome! Please also visit my website at www josiekelly.com. I have been in private practice for over 40 years, helping people get free from pain that hinders happiness. I give clients tools to attain more refined states of balance, personal engagement and vibrance in their lives. The process of therapy is immensely creative and personally unique, and in its' special moments asks that we step into leaps of faith of being with our present experience. The benefits are priceless. Depression, anxiety, not having a sense of self, destructive thinking, procrastination, poor relationship quality are all within our control to change.

People come in with a desire to feel better, less stressed; resulting in successfully and confidently improving personal and professional relationships. Customized sessions help individuals achieve their goals- like attracting healthier romantic relationships, making better career or life choices, affair repair, clarity in parenting challenges or managing ADHD. Practical tools all based on my extensive professional training in holistic health, natural nutrition, body-mind therapies, meditation, etc.-specifically to support individuals, couples, and families.

I help women to better manage parenting, while maintaining her work/life balance. Is this you? Marriage and parenting are difficult. Often it is hard to find the energy to be patient, creative or loving. Do you struggle with solo parenting and feeling unseen? Do you want to feel more connected with your spouse? Do you want to feel like "you" again? Do you struggle with anxiety, depression and / or have experienced trauma but haven't "faced" it because "there is not enough time" or because you've "dealt with it this long", I get it and I can help you find the joy in your life again.

Life can be tricky, but also a beautiful journey of learning, growing, and experiencing change. You may wish to cope with conflict better, have a hard time resisting temptation, or frequently feel overwhelmed. I offer a safe, non-judgmental space where you can be your true self. Through learning and practicing the art of self-compassion, we will work together to help navigate the challenges you're facing. As your emotional tour guide, I can bring awareness to perspectives you may be missing and provide tools that will be forever useful. Clients say that I make sessions fun without sacrificing the hard work that can change your life.

If you suffer from developmental (trauma from childhood abuse) or acute trauma (for example, rape, assault, divorce, accident), I am trained in several modalities that can help. These include: Neurofeedback, which is exercise for the brain, improves self-regulation and calms the nervous system, building resiliency. EMDR is a process that desensitizes and reprocesses trauma. Somatic Experiencing releases pent up energy in the body that keeps us from completing and letting go of traumatic experiences. I use these methods, along with traditional psychodynamic talk therapy, in a kind and healing environment, to help you recover. .

Are you facing challenges or maybe a choice-point in your life and looking for support? Are you interested in exploring those challenges and changes?

We seek therapy when we feel stuck. When bumps in the road have caused us to become trapped in ways of thinking, feeling, or being that keep us from reaching our goals in life. Worries and negative thoughts fill our heads and cause us to feel that we are incapable of succeeding. We lose sight of experiencing any other way of being – of living without the anxiety, sadness, grief, loneliness, or stress.

Are you looking for a safe place where you can access and explore your emotions without shame or judgment? Are you feeling frustrated, stuck or disappointed with the quality of your life? I can help you learn how to access your inner wisdom, build and bolster resiliency and connect more effectively with yourself and others.

Life is too short to live it feeling unsatisfied, confused, depleted and or powerless. Sometimes you can manage, but other times you want to turn to someone who will provide an compassionate, non-judgmental space for you to (re)connect with your deepest, most authentic self. Maybe you're in a relationship which feels stagnant, emotionally/physically disconnected or is burdened by accumulated hurts and betrayals, and you and your partner are seeking clarity, support and a new way of being either together or apart. Being skillful in relationships with others (and oneself) has become essential, and is central to our well being.

Building Emotional Resilience is key towards achieving a balanced life. You may be a parent dealing with the challenge of a defiant child, or a spouse suffering with a critical or distant partner. Perhaps you're a high-powered professional grappling with the demands of career and family, or a sensitive teenager navigating the precarious path towards young adulthood. In either case, whether it's relationship issues, difficult feelings, worrying thoughts, unwanted behaviors, or even just searching for answers to some of life's biggest questions, I can provide guidance, support, and wisdom towards realizing obtainable solutions.

My experience as a licensed therapist, nurse and midwife, has provided me the unique perspective and understanding of the needs of the Whole Individual and how thoughts and beliefs impact us physically, emotionally and psychologically. My intention is to support and guide clients as they explore and resolve their challenges. Together, we can work through feelings of confusion, insecurity and fear associated with significant individual and relationship transitions, crisis events and medical and emotional challenges. Online therapy is available with office sessions in the future.

Often times, feelings of anxiety, depression, and fear can leave us paralyzed and unable to achieve our goals and find real fulfillment. I believe that through therapy and the relationship created in the therapeutic process, people can confront and overcome the feelings that may be keeping them from fully realizing their potential. As a therapist my goal is to create a safe, nurturing, non-judgmental environment in which you can explore feelings, resolve painful issues from the past and present, improve relationships and achieve fulfillment.

I am a licensed MFT with offices in Santa Monica and Ojai. For the past twenty + years I have been working as a therapist with adolescents, adults and families. I am also a clinical supervisor to interns in my private practice, and I provide psychotherapy for therapists in training. My work as a therapist focuses on relationships of all kinds. For my clients, I hope to be an agent of positive change by working with them towards an understanding of the dynamics that keep them from moving forward and then by mentoring them to co-create bigger lives for themselves.