Self-Harming Therapists in Westlake Village, CA

I have over 12 years of experience working with individuals, families, and intimate partners in various settings including field-based, inpatient, and outpatient settings who present with moderate to severe mental health conditions that include mood disorders, existential and codependency issues, schizophrenia disorders and substance use disorders. I also have extensive experience working with victims of human trafficking, sex and relationship issues, life phase changes, daily-living issues and vocational stressors, LGTBQ+, domestic violence victims, trauma, self-harming behaviors, suicidality, grief and loss.

I work with children and adolescents, and their families. The issues addressed include divorce, death of a parent or sibling, chronic illness, learning or behavioral challenges, physical, sexual or emotional abuse, school refusal, social phobia, anxiety, depression, self harming behaviors, bullying and peer conflicts, step-families, and identity struggles. Many of my interventions involve experiential activities with a gestalt orientation. I have been trained for many years by Violet Oaklander, and I offer trainings internationally in her theoretical model created specifically for working with children and their families.

Through the therapeutic process, I foster a safe space to address complicated emotions and stressors, move towards growth, and facilitate healing. I specialize in working with adolescents and young adults. I work primarily with individuals who are struggling with depression, self -harm, suicidal ideation and anxiety. Therapy with me may include processing through traditional talking, art therapy, play therapy, building resources, creating support systems, and working on skills needed to help you or your loved ones reach their therapeutic goals.

As a former Executive Director of a mental health residential treatment center, I have vast experience working with acute psychiatric diagnoses. I have shifted into private practice with a drive to assist individuals with resolving problematic thoughts, emotions, behaviors and actions in order for them to have a desirable quality of life and achieve mental and emotional wellness.

I approach each client as a unique individual. Diagnoses suggest empirically validated treatments, but each individual is unique. There is always room for personal growth and creating balance in our lives. I am kind, gentle and honest. I have been practicing in Thousand Oaks, CA for over 15 years. I run a free weekly support group for pregnancy and infant loss sponsored by Hospice of the Conejo. Other support groups I have run are Bereavement Groups for Children and the support group for those who lost their loved ones on the Metrolink train crash.

Finding the right support for your child can be exhausting, in my practice, you can feel at ease and empowered that your child is getting the support they need. It is my priority to create a safe and nurturing environment for your child to support them in finding self-confidence, self-awareness and reconnecting them to their families. I work collaboratively with my clients and their parents to ensure that they are getting the best treatment possible. I utilize individualized, creative and evidenced-based approaches when working with children/adolescents to create a fun, and engaging environment.

The Professional Wellness Academy specializes in focused, integrated Counseling Treatment. ProWellness Academy services individuals, Hospitals, facilities and MAT physician’s patients suffering from Substance Use and/or Behavioral Wellness Disorders. ProWellness Academy has office locations in most major cities and also provides seamless Hipaa Compliant TELEHEALTH software for the home bound; we are committed to evidence-based, “Whole Approach” to treatment that incorporates multidisciplinary modalities. Hand-in-hand with our professional network of therapists, counselors, physicians, and case managers; we pursue excellence.

When we seek therapy it is usually because we reach a point when our problems and challenges outweigh our ability to cope with them. Sometimes we feel stuck in old patterns of behavior or relationships that no longer work for us and we wish to make changes. I serve as a collaborator with you on your journey of self discovery as you find new ways of being and making more appropriate life choices. I provide safety and support as you experience psychological understanding and growth and remain with you as you develop ways to handle life's burdens in more empowering ways.

As a parent/caregiver, a certain level of stress is normal, however when your stress level becomes unmanageable, it is time to seek professional support. I help infants and their parents; individuals and their families repair the effects of trauma and stress in their lives. I believe the earlier we address emotional, developmental, relational, social and individual (behavior) functioning, the better we can assist the family or individual to make life-long changes.

Engage Psychological Services is a collection of highly qualified clinicians in independent private practices. Our clinicians offer a variety of services such as: individual therapy, child and adolescent therapy, family therapy, couples counseling, group therapy, gEEG neurofeedback, and neuropsychological evaluation. Engage Psychological Services clinicians work to collaborate with any community partners to best address the needs of the whole system. We have clinicians who have been supporting children, adolescents, adults and families in the Conejo Valley and surrounding areas for over 27 years.

I Wendy De Augustine, L.M.F.T., MA., am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and have a MA in Art Therapy. I specialize in individual, couple, group and family therapy. My areas of focus include art therapy, narrative therapy and working with children, adolescents and adults. I received a 62-unit Masters of Arts degree in Psychology with a major in Marriage and Family Therapy/Art Therapy from Phillips Graduate Institute. I work extensively with depressed teens and adults, utlizing different techniques through a Narrative and Post Modern lens to provide what is most helpful to my clients.

As a licensed marriage and family therapist, I am dedicated to providing compassionate and evidence-based care to children, adolescents, and adults facing mental health challenges and substance use disorders. With a background in DBT, attachment based family therapy, and dual diagnosis treatment, I offer comprehensive assessments, individualized therapy, and support services tailored to meet the unique needs of each client.

You spend your days endlessly and painfully obsessing over what you did or didn't eat, how much you did or didn't exercise, or how uncomfortable you feel in your body. Thoughts of food and body have completely taken over your life and you are at a place where you feel powerless and completely out of control. You have tried time and time again to "get it under control," but you are lost. You are anxious, depressed, and truly do not know what to do. This place you are in is so painful, chaotic, and confusing. I get it - I have been there, and I can help.

A beautiful day begins with a beautiful mindset- Anonymous. I assist clients with more in-depth treatment during the sessions to address the roots of the present problems and issues by addressing and identifying maladaptive thoughts, and conscious and subconscious mind to create an individualized treatment that fits with individuals' current issues and challenges while creating a safe environment to build strength, balanced, peaceful life within and with others. I have extensive experience and background working with children, teens, adults, couples, families, and group sessions to help you overcome your challenges via telehealth.

EVENING APPTS. I chose a PhD in Clinical Psychology in order to help individuals suffering with the emotional pain and upheaval that life's ups and downs can bring. I enjoy a close working relationship and collaborative trust based connection with my patients, which brings the reward of personal growth and stimulates the healing process. With more than 28 years in the mental health profession, and 25+ years in private practice, I continue working to expand my education and experience to include a wide variety of psychotherapeutical skill sets.

I am a licensed marriage and family therapist and have worked for the past twenty years in the field of psychology. I have worked with couples and families focusing on better communication. I have also had success working with individuals who suffer from anxiety and depression helping them cope and utilize skills to facilitate a better quality of life.

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.

Whether you are clear about what is troubling you or have something like a vague, insistent sense of not feeling good about your life, I offer a warm, collaborative relationship to explore, heal and grow. You can expect to feel a stronger sense of yourself and better able to tackle the issues at hand. You can expect to feel more responsive, less reactive in your life.

All of life's unknowns can be terrifying, but everything you want for yourself to live your best life is on the other side of fear. Often it requires us to be much more compassionate with ourselves on our way towards growth. Compassion to recognize that growth takes time and moving from point A to Z doesn’t happen overnight. Change is clearly not easy. If it were there would be no need for anyone’s assistance as we grow and change. When we distract ourselves in any way, such as with tv, cleaning, alcohol, or any other means of checking out, we are in a state of avoidance.