Couples Counseling Therapists in Santa Monica, CA

How is the search going? So many therapists. So many bios. So hard to know if you will click. I am glad you are taking this step. I'm here because I am dedicated to creating a safe and inclusive space for individuals navigating life's myriad challenges. My approach is rooted in a deep commitment to understanding and embracing neurodiversity, recognizing that each person's journey is unique. By tailoring my therapeutic methods to accommodate diverse cognitive styles, I strive to offer a truly personalized and affirming experience.

Dedicated to empowering couples and individuals, I specialize in addressing relationship challenges, intimacy concerns, and sexual dysfunctions. Whether you're seeking deeper connection, understanding in your partnership, or navigating personal challenges around sexuality and intimacy, my practice offers a supportive space for growth and healing. Embracing the LGBTQ+ community, polyamorous individuals, sex workers, and BDSM/kink explorers, I'm here to support your journey towards fulfilling relationships and sexual wellness. Together, let's unlock the path to deeper fulfillment and joy.

If you are grappling with feelings of depression, anxiety or having trouble with your relationships or at work, I can offer you help. I have worked with individuals and couples as a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice for almost 25 years. Happiness and a sense of well being come from enjoying satisfying relationships, pursuing career goals, engaging with family and friends and expressing your playfulness and creativity. I have helped many pateints to achieve this kind of fulfillment in a safe and supportive environment. I look forward to hearing from you. Please call or email me for a consultation.

The desire to start therapy often begins when you realize something needs to change. When you feel anxious, lost, out of control. If this is you, I am here to help. I specialize in women’s mental health, ADHD, and trauma. I understand that your past experiences shape your present reality. Together, we will work understand the root cause of your challenges, find success and fulfillment in your relationships and career, heal from traumatic or dysfunctional relationships, and process guilt and shame. I’ll meet you with curiosity, warmth, and respect, creating an environment where you can reconnect with your best self.

I see individuals, Families and Couples while using an interactive and collaborative approach to therapy. I see individuals to help them with managing emotions, fears, sadness, depression, anxiety, stress, life transitions, addictions, eating disorders, body image issues, creating balance, establishing hope and nurturing yourself. I will work on improving relational issues such as dating issues, recovering from a break up, and communication patterns. Learning to set healthy boundaries is key in any relationship. I want to empower my clients by giving them the coping skills they need to live a healthy and successful life.

Relationships are problematic. You’re up late at night researching your partner’s behavior online – learning new terms like narcissist abuse, gaslighting, boundaries, and how to be happy. You fantasize this search will make your partner say, “Thank you for this enlightening information. Now I understand my alcoholic mother and chaotic childhood caused my behavior in relationships.” Realistically, you know that late-night research got you nowhere. You might think, “I will find a therapist and get to the roots of my personality, why I act the way I do, and work on myself.” Unfortunately, this is not likely to happen without a plan.

“Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up.” Brene Brown -Putting yourself first can be scary. Showing up in life can be overwhelming but I believe showing up is half the battle and from there we can create a collaborative therapeutic relationship to help you on your path of healing and self-discovery. I integrate principles of psychodynamic, attachment, mindfulness and humanistic theoretical approaches into my work. I believe that by looking at events and relationships in our past can help us understand patterns in our present that no longer serve us or have made us feel stuck.

On the outside, you make success look easy, though it comes at a cost. You hide parts of yourself, which leaves you wrestling with overwhelm, anxiety, and self-esteem. You may even feel an internal game of tug of war. My goal is to help alleviate the struggles and difficulties you've been carrying alone by providing a caring and welcoming space. Together, we will look at various parts of yourself and find what's not working, so new patterns can emerge by deepening insight and finding pragmatic solutions. I enjoy helping clients improve communication, understand emotions, and create a healthy relationship with themselves and others.

I encourage you to get help when you need it despite how difficult it feels. As an experienced, professional psychotherapist, I can work with you in an individual or group setting to help you get through your issues and make changes in your life. You may come see me in my Santa Monica, California office or in my New York City office where I see clients once a month. I can also work with you online using Skype. I have clients as far away as London and Hong Kong. Call me if you would like a consultation.

You love this person and want to believe they love you too. Yet seemingly small and insignificant issues explode into verbal attacks and defensiveness that escalates to questioning if the relationship is worth it. You’re left feeling resentful, lonely, confused, and frustrated. The hardest part? After months or years of making up and recommitting to each other, not much has changed. While apologies and time seem to help, the same pattern continues to happen- only under different circumstances. The love is there and all you want is a healthy relationship. My passion is supporting couples and families to get to where they want to be.

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.

I specializes in MFT and ABA. While working with clients, I supports their work by identifying behavior patterns, identifying healthy replacement behaviors, and support my client’s understanding of emotional and cognitive states. Through the understanding of the self, my clients learn how their behaviors impact their environments. And more importantly how they can make changes to enhance their life, relationships, and experiences in their daily environments. I have experience working with adults, couples, groups, and children.

Are you experiencing feelings of anxiety or depression? Is your mood affecting your relationships or career? Sometimes life's challenges become difficult to overcome alone. I offer free phone consultations to see if my practice might be the right fit for your needs. I have diverse training and experience working with adults, adolescents, couples and families. While there are no guarantees of what you will experience, therapy has shown significant benefits for most people who go through it. And being here, on this site, is an important first step.

Welcome, and thank you for clicking on my profile. You would probably like to know a little about me and how we might work together. I am a psychotherapist who is passionate about my work and whose interest lies in developing rapport and trust through active listening, respect, and creating an environment where you feel safe to share your thoughts and feelings. My approach is multidisciplinary, eclectic and highly interactive. My demeanor has been described as warm, accepting, non-judgmental, and compassionate. Together we will identify your concerns, what you hope to accomplish and build strategies for leading a happier life.

Change is possible and I believe therapy is a place where you can explore the challenges and achievements that make our lives feel more fulfilled. My approach to therapy is one of empathy, collaboration and practicality. I like to make therapy fun, engaging, and a safe place for you to comfortably explore your emotions and learn new healthy coping skills to support your growth. I have a passion for helping others achieve more fulfillment and balance in their lives. My goal is to provide a safe space to explore feelings that may contribute to ongoing difficulties, re-process experiences, and ultimately co-create your next chapter.

I'm an experienced psychotherapist working with individuals and couples who wish to make their lives and relationships more satisfying and reflective of their deepest values and aspirations. I strive to help clients increase awareness, reduce suffering, gain insight into feelings, thoughts and behavior patterns that contribute to current concerns and unhappiness, and connect with the inner wisdom that leads the way to a more peaceful and satisfying way of being in the world. (Photo credit: Merrie Asimow www.asimowphotography.com)

We collaborate to identify areas of “stuck-ness” to create actionable steps towards change, and process the emotions that come up along the way. 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. Using evidenced based techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Family Systems Therapy, I hope to create a safe and goal-oriented environment with a strong emphasis on the client’s wellbeing and context.

Feeling alone or stuck—at home, work or your relationship? Are you stressed, overwhelmed or frustrated with work—or yourself, your partner or your kids? If this sounds like you & you're tired of struggling, I'd like to help. You can get the support, understanding & skills you need to succeed—& get more of what you want. Life doesn't have to be so hard. Therapy can help you clarify the issues, figure out your options, provide you with new tools—& get things moving in a positive direction. If you're unsure about Teletherapy or starting, give me a call to talk about what you need & how therapy can help. Visit my website to learn more.

I believe that relationships are truly the foundation of our well-being, which means that improving the quality of our relationships is of the utmost importance. Whether you are a couple who want to improve your communication, or a parent and teenager who just can't seem to connect, I am here to help you achieve the type of relationship you have been desperate to build. We will work together to improve even the rockiest of relationships by deepening connections and building necessary skills.