Culturally Sensitive Therapists in Studio City, CA

Life is full of transitions and the focus of my practice is to help clients to cope with challenges and changes they encounter on their life’s journey. The challenges of adulthood affect people in tremendous ways and my job is to help you navigate the difficulties and find ways to manage and cope with various situations. I have over 20-year experience in mental health field in various settings and roles, working with various age groups and individuals from many backgrounds. My practice is culturally sensitive and open to individuals from many walks of life.

I am a culturally sensitive therapist who welcomes clients of diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, and gender identities. During times of uncertainty, coping tools may need to be bolstered, or you may notice patterns in your ways of responding that you want to address. Patterns give us information about feelings we carry, and needs we attempt to fulfill. By forming a strong alliance with my clients, grounded in a stance of empathy and unconditional positive regard, I work to foster the skills, trust, and esteem for you to bravely overcome challenges, and acknowledge and act upon your most authentic self.

The clients who come to see me are adults of all ages whose lives are diminished by depression or anxiety, whether lingering or overwhelming. Such feelings make it difficult to focus on tasks or leave the house. Some clients struggle with unsupportive family members or relationship partners; others cannot shake off the impact of trauma they suffered as children or adults. Often I see young people who want to be Independent Adults, but feel they’ve lost their way, cannot find stable relationships, or establish boundaries with parents or roommates. My older adults are coping with aging; but they desire social connection and purpose.

If you are reading this then you have already taken the first step to addressing whatever challenge you are facing or questions you may be asking yourself. Perhaps you are unsatisfied with your life and don’t know why or how to change it. Perhaps you know what the underlying issue is but are afraid to tackle it. Maybe you struggle with co-parenting after a divorce or your teenager is self-harming and you want to help but don’t know how. Maybe you struggle with addiction or self-medicate to avoid dealing with emotional pain.

Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost - J.R.R. Tolkien. Therapy is a unique type of wandering. It's a journey that begins by taking a step inward with an understanding that self-reflection and introspection have purpose. Your purpose and motivation is unique to you. You could be motivated by growth, healing, connection, love or pain. Knowing your motivation will help you stay focused and persevere through your journey.

Let's be real - life often throws the hardest curveballs, which leave us feeling damaged, lost, and fearful of how to recover or return to "how things used to be." Too often, we feel unheard and alone in our darkness. What do you do when you feel so anxious and high-strung that it’s hard to breathe? Who will understand when you don’t have the energy to get out of bed, or you avoid certain places because it reminds you of a terrible memory?

Welcome to a safe and supportive space where you’re encouraged to tap into your creativity, playfulness, and self-expression! I’m a forward-thinking therapist who works with adults, children/teens, couples (poly/open/committed), and families eager to make changes. If you’re on a journey of identity and self-exploration, battle addiction or codependency, have difficulties navigating and establishing boundaries, and/or suffer with anxiety, depression or childhood/family trauma, you’re not alone. You can move beyond feeling stuck or hurt. You can break harmful patterns and build healthy, sustainable relationships.

Do you experience painful sex, anxiety, struggle with starting or keeping an erection, and ejaculating sooner than you want? Perhaps you have a partner and you are anxious about how to communicate your true feelings or concerns about sex and intimacy. Being authentically you and communicating how you feel can be a real struggle. If this resonates with you, then know that you are not alone. Also, know that your fears are valid; it can feel painful to be rejected, not heard, not seen, and not fulfilled. These struggles are not a reflection of you as a person. They are a sign that there is an area that needs attention and support.

I believe everyone has unique stories that need to be heard. As I listen with curiosity and support, individuals freely explore their stories, become more open to delving into meanings, and further empowered to define their sense of self that needed to be received. In my work with clients, I integrate evidence-based practices such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). As a registered art therapist, I am also aware and appreciative of non-verbal expression and the benefit of using this creative form of expression.

Life's journey can be intense and difficult at times. Painful experiences can throw us into a downward spiral of sufferance. Being able to process our struggles allow us to turn them into catalysts for a meaningful life. I offer a space of sincere empathy and emotional safety to explore, learn and grow from discomfort and unease. Through my clinical training I have learned different modalities that allow me to connect with the deepest available information from my clients, and from there I use my knowledge and experience to empower them to find their own truth.

Hi, thank you for visiting. After 20 years as a therapist, I have found that people need a combination of support, insight, and challenging interactions to help them move past obstacles they are facing. I work with individuals on the most intimate aspects of their lives, including their sexuality, relationships, and life and death issues. My style is interactive and relational, and employs uncovering family of origin dynamics, but also more practical, EMDR and Brainspotting methods to help make changes more quickly. My specialty is in all aspects of loss and grief, addictions, eating disorders, relationships, trauma and cancer.

I am an experienced psychotherapist dedicated to working with individuals and couples on increasing self esteem, strengthening relationships, and improving communication skills. I focus on utilizing an individual's strengths to reinforce coping skills and self-esteem and I help couples to learn how to express their needs and communicate better to increase positive feelings and intimacy.

Life is full of various transitions, both expected and unexpected. One can feel pushed to deny or resist these inevitable changes or can begin to take steps to learn, adapt, and adjust to them. I believe everyone has inner strengths that can be awakened in challenging times and therapy can work as a catalyst for change. I have been privileged to journey with individuals who learned to envision their desired lives and to find ways to fulfill them. I have also journeyed with those managing seemingly insurmountable challenges, steadily guiding them toward finding peace in the midst of challenges and eventually overcoming them.

At Boulevard Therapy, we believe that life is a journey, and that we often benefit sharing our journey with someone who can help us to navigate life's unexpected or unfamiliar territories. Often the journey can become more difficult when we are overwhelmed with life's stress and challenges, leaving us feeling immobilized, out of control, confused, and/or in despair. Sometimes another perspective is beneficial as we navigate these paths.

One of the highest predictors of successful outcomes in psychotherapy is the therapeutic relationship. My therapeutic approach is rooted in the scientific research of attachment theory and the ancient wisdom of community: we do not heal alone by ourselves; healing occurs relationally—through rupture and repair—and by having new and corrective emotional experiences. I am a therapist who works with my clients as a collaborator, soul friend, and deep listener. I believe in the power of evocative empathy—the radical notion that it can be powerfully healing to be deeply moved by one another.

I am Sergio Ibanez, LCSW. My focus is to provide support and guidance. I provide individual, couples, and family therapy (ages 5 +) using client-center approach. I use a wide variety of therapeutic approaches including, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), etc.). I am bilingual, English and Spanish. My client focus is ages 5 years and up. Provide individual, couples, and family therapy.

Life can be HARD. Whether it's always been hard or there are more recent roadblocks, it f-cking sucks to feel out of control, unfulfilled, stuck, or unhappy. So let's talk about that. In our work together, we'll examine parts of your past, challenges in the present, and hopes for the future to create the life you want, while honoring your natural strengths and intersecting identities. Through both research-based techniques and being a real + approachable human, my goal is to help you find clarity and healing while creating meaningful and sustainable change.

I believe that a life well examined is a life worth living. It's important to truly know yourself, and what your strengths and limitations are. My focus in treatment is based upon your goals for therapy, and what outcome you are hoping for. I have done much work within the LGBTQ + Community, and with couples across all ethnicities and orientations. Couples bring their own personal histories and experiences into the their relationships forming "unconscious contracts" with each other. I help them understand what those are between each other, in order to help them have a better understanding of why they chose each other.

I specialize in helping people struggling with sexuality & relationships, grief/loss, and LGBTQ+ issues. That includes anyone who has grown up feeling unaccepted as their authentic self or experienced the loss of a loved one. I especially understand the deep impact of childhood trauma and how to approach healing. I believe healing begins with connection. Good therapy is a safe place where all parts of you are welcome! The trust we build together comes with an open invitation to explore the protected parts of yourself at your own pace.