Oppositional Defiance (ODD) Therapists in Thousand Oaks, CA

I specialize with children, adolescents, and families struggling with educational issues as well as personal struggles. I also specialize with college students dealing with anxiety, homesickness, and other life transitions. My expertise focuses in the area of ADHD, Learning Disabilities, and oppositional behaviors as well. I have worked in the school system for over 25 years. Finally, for those of you in your adult years, I offer individual and couples therapy with a direct straightforward approach. I believe in improving communication and helping you thrive in your couple and family relationships.

I specialize in treating treating high achieving individuals & couples, with perfectionist tendencies. My priority is your emotional safety. Non judgmental support allows for your sharing openly and honestly. The need to "be right" can be unconscious, & you may be hurting those you love. My skilled intuition, and 25+ yrs. of clinical success, knows hope is available for the motivated and committed recovering anxious, obsessive, & over analyzing adult. Our trusting relationship inspires you to reflect upon your life/relationship goals; together we explore, & honestly challenge: "Do I want to be right?" Or, do I want to be loved?"

One who is experiencing any type of relationship issue, that is wanting to work on themselves and continue to strengthen either themselves or their relationship by working through the challenges that have exposed areas of growth in the individual.

Many people are struggling with worry, sadness, emotional/physical pain, and/or stress. I can teach you effective coping strategies to deal with these. I have been doing it successfully the past 20+ years. The results are people often experience more peace, better sleep, better mood, and better relationship connections with others at home and/or at work. Becoming a better you will be one of the best investments you will ever make. Call today to set up an appointment to discuss your particular situation.

Too often psychotherapy focuses on causality, pathology and cures. However, rather than being "sick" or 'broken", often we are just lost inside ourselves or relationships. Everyone is a unique person with their own story, experience and perspective. The goal of therapy is to achieve a deeper awareness of where we are, to discover internal meaning for our many experiences, and to experience a life worth living. While working towards that awareness, I also feel it important to teach individuals, couples and families the skills needed to cope with the pain and day to day stressors that bring them into therapy.

Although I work with children and adolescents individually, working with them alone is not sufficient. As a parent myself, I am very aware of what it is like for me to entrust my childrens' care into the hands of another. In order for treatment to be successful and for my clients to feel secure in the treatment process, I thus believe it is essential to incorporate working with parents into the treatment of the child. In addition to specializing in treating children and adolescents, I also offer services to college-aged individuals and older adults.

I see individuals and couples via video/telehealth only. I specialize in anxiety, depression, trauma, and communication/connection issues within couples. Taking time for your mental health and or romantic relationship is important, so please email me to get scheduled.

Lifespan is a center specializing in mental health diagnosis and treatment across all ages. We specialize in providing psychological testing, neuropsychological evaluations, and neurodevelopmental assessments and provide diagnostic clarity, referrals, resources, and treatment plans. We help in identifying learning disabilities, developmental disabilities, issues with attention, and memory and learning complaints, to name a few. Psychological testing can help to clarify between different diagnoses (e.g., ADHD vs Anxiety), provide answers about general difficulties you or your child may be having, and be used for schools to help accommodate you or your child’s needs. We help you better understand your strengths and identify areas of support. Furthermore, we specialize in pre-surgical evaluations (e.g., bariatric, reconstructive, etc.) and work directly with surgeons to optimize outcomes.

I am a licensed psychologist at Lifespan who specializes in psychological testing and evaluations for attention, learning and memory problems in children, adolescents and adults. In addition to traditional forms of mental health treatment, I am trained in Neurofeedback and provide a customized treatment protocol tailored to each patient’s individual needs. I have extensive training in trauma, complex trauma, and PTSD and has worked with survivors of all ages.

Do you find yourself struggling with episodes of sadness? Do you feel anxious or have difficulty managing your emotions? Have you lost interest in activities you once enjoyed? Have you gone through a traumatic experience and continue to have flashbacks? If so, I can help you make sense of your past experiences so that you can live a life full of joy. You have the ability to live the life you so desire, and today you are one step closer to fulfilling that dream.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist at Lifespan who specializes in working with children, adolescents, and families, providing both therapy and psychological testing. Testing includes assessing for attention, learning, and autism in children and teens. I received my doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Loma Linda University, and completed an APA accredited postdoctoral residency at Kaiser Permanente in Northern California. In my graduate training, I have worked within outpatient, hospital, and community mental health settings, and received specialized training in early childhood and psychological testing.

Relationships are a dominant presence in our lives; we are meant to be relational. The relationships we remember from the past, experience in the present, and anticipate in the future are perhaps the most influential force in shaping who we are. I believe there are three types of relationships that therapy can foster health in - a person's relationship with himself or herself, a person's relationship with other people, and, for people of faith, a person's relationship with God. There is perhaps no better gift that could be received than a healthier relationship in these areas.

An important step toward living a happier and more fulfilling life involves recognizing the need and desire for change. I believe that therapy can be a very important and effective tool for bringing about positive change in one's life. I work collaboratively with you to set goals, and use strengths to complement and minimize weaknesses standing in the way of achieving these goals. I am passionate about working with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families on a wide array of issues including anxiety, depression, parenting, behavioral challenges, self-esteem, relationship problems, and life transitions.

Trauma, anxiety, and addiction can make you feel stuck. The most important step towards healing is to address the unresolved emotion inside you. Healing requires feelings. Acceptance slowly dissolves pain. When we function from the fear and scarring of our trauma, the cycles continue until we learn how to transmute that energy into love. I apply a Holistic approach that integrates physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual forms of well-being, addressing the “whole” self. Through a holistic framework tailored to your unique needs, the goal is to support you develop a deeper understanding of the self on all these levels.

"You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending-" C.S Lewis. Making changes in one's life can be difficult. Whether you feel you are being held back due to your past or your current circumstances, I would like to help you navigate the many challenges of life. You are the expert of your life, in the driver's seat, I am just here to help navigate you to becoming the best version of yourself. My approach is client centered, using Motivational Interviewing, CBT, and DBT concepts to help you develop skills in order to achieve the changes you desire and ultimately reach your goals.

Are anxiety and stress keeping you from living your life to your fullest potential? Are you feeling stress weighing on you internally or causing you to feel exhausted and hopeless? Together we will explore ways to grow, further develop self-acceptance and unearth traumatic experiences and daily stressors that are hindering you from achieving this potential. I will be available to provide an unbiased listening ear and warm spirit as you reimagine the life you want for yourself. In this safe and accepting environment, we will develop an action plan to better manage your unique symptoms and your life.

Sometimes we experience challenges that make us feel as though our problems are out of our control and no one understands. My goal is to be of support to you and aid you in learning how to maneuver everyday challenges. Whether you want to increase self-esteem, improve boundaries, address anxiety/depression or create fulfilling and meaningful relationships, I will work beside you in a warm and empathic environment to help you achieve your goals.