Couples Counseling Therapists in California

Coping with life's changes can be overwhelming, especially when societal, familial, and personal expectations weigh on you. We all aspire to lead fulfilling lives and find happiness once more, but we are often expected to be grateful, to stop complaining, and to not talk about our feelings. So many of us feel these challenges but believe we’re the only ones. I was born in Hong Kong and came to the U.S. during my teenage years. Learning a new culture and speaking a different language while expected to be successful. Having support makes a world of difference. 请在页面上按“中文”以中文阅读我的简介

Do you feel as if some days you're drowning in anxiety with work, school, or your relationships? Get stuck in exhausting spirals of self doubt or blindsided by panic attacks? When anxiety takes over inside, it can make life feel miserable. If you're tired of feeling this way and don't know what to do, I can help. In therapy, my clients learn to shift their relationship to anxiety so they can enjoy life again with more ease and confidence. You won't just gain self-awareness through conversation, but have the chance to experience transformational healing.

Life can be very confusing sometimes. My understanding is that each of us are different and there is no easy answer for many of life's questions. And, I am happy to be engaged in the mystery of life with you. Using my humanistic and transperonal approach, the goal with my clients is to discover how life's meaning is created for them and what coping skills can be used to help through this process.

Our growing and healing is a life long journey. Taking this step to find the support and guidance in a therapist can seem overwhelming and risky yet may be most rewarding. I hope you embrace this adventure. Let's journey to understand you better while identifying patterns of protection that can block deep connection and feeling heard, understood. Compassion, understanding and acceptance are central to my approach.

Pamela’s areas of interest are serious mental illness, chronic pain, trauma, existentialism, relationship and interpersonal skills, multicultural diversity, assessments, and forensic psychology. Pamela’s therapeutic goal is to help clients find balance, meaning, and purpose. She seeks to assist clients in achieving a new normal of safety, stability, and confidence in all areas of their lives. She is passionate about the human mind and exploring nature and nurture in human behavior. On a personal note, Pamela enjoys painting and spending time with her husband and cats, Niles and Wally.

COUPLES: you feel disconnected, discouraged, and frustrated. Every conversation turns into an argument, so you barely talk to each other. You miss the times when you used to talk lovingly to each other, and touch each other the same way. This isn't the relationship you signed up for. You don't want to feel lonely in your own home anymore. Every effort you make to improve your relationship is met with resentment and resistance. You feel powerless, stuck, and overwhelmed.

How did you end up here? Stuck in an unfulfilling marriage and paralyzed by fear. Your anxiety and other men’s issues are causing you to struggle to connect, communicate and resolve conflict with your spouse. It is having a negative impact on how you show up as a parent. Now might be the time for you to connect with a marriage counselor who can help.

What is most important in therapy is that you feel deeply supported and understood. Finding a therapist who shares your LGBTQ+ identity is one less obstacle to being understood. My approach to therapy is collaborative and interactive, where we work together to reach your goals in a safe and supportive environment. Together we can find new ways to uncover your strengths and resources and make changes that leave you more balanced, happy, and authentic. My style is warm and curious and I seek to create relationships attuned to each client.

HABLO ESPANOL! I am happy that destiny brought you here. If you are here you may be considering a specific life situation (trauma, challenge, worry, loss, parenting issue) that is preventing you from moving forward in the direction of your goals and dreams. Maybe you just need to gain clarity on a situation (new job, recently engaged, contemplating having kids, purchasing a home). Therapy is not only for the afflicted, but also for the conflicted! You are brave for considering leaning into the therapeutic process. Contact me to take the first step toward your own healing. I offer weekend appointments!

Relationships are our speciality - We work with couples, families, and individuals on attachment issues, relationships, connection, and emotional safety. We are 'Emotionally Focused Couples Therapists' (ICEEFT) as well as sex-informed therapists. Our approach involves turning around patterns that feel out of control and repetitive while increasing bonding and closeness. We also work with individuals on connecting with others in a positive way while understanding and changing patterns that are hard to shift.

Adulting is a struggle. While it is a valuable time of self discovery, it is also a time of uncertainty and increased responsibility. There are expectations to find your footing in this world and find it fast. Under the weight of these societal pressures we start to question, is this as good as it gets? Are my wants, needs, and desires reasonable? Am I the person I want to be? Sifting through these questions can feel overwhelming. My hope is to provide a safe place for you to cultivate deeper trust within yourself so that you can navigate the messiness that comes with being a human.

As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I am specially trained to work with children, adults, couples, and families. My treatment approach provides support and feedback, helping clients resolve current problems and long-standing patterns. With sensitivity and compassion, I help clients to find solutions to a wide range of life challenges and psychological issues. My clinical approach is systemic in nature, as I view people not as individuals in isolation, but as part of a larger family system. In this way, relationships, communication, and interactions between people are emphasized. Even when working with individuals, this approach is helpful and empowering.

Are you experiencing heightened emotional reactions or constant tension? Are you feeling anxious about daily activities? Are you struggling in relationships or having a hard time getting things done? Your struggles may have early-age roots and you’re beginning to wonder if the symptoms you're experiencing all have a common source. Trauma and life's hardships can have devastating impacts on your mental health. As a result, you may feel a struggle to get out of bed, or you may feel like you can't stop driving a hundred miles an hour. Whatever brings you here, you don’t have to go through it alone. I'd be honored to work with you.

The clients I work with benefit the most when they embrace the comfort and discomfort that comes with building a therapeutic relationship. Reading all the blurbs is an excellent way to get brief insight into the character of a potential therapist, but whether or not someone will be a good fit is a difficult question with so many options. We know the relationship you build with your therapist is the largest indicator of success. With that in mind, go with your gut! Enjoy the process and embrace the change or help you seek.

My name is Monica Cruz, I am a bilingual (English and Spanish) Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California. I have been working in the field of therapy for over 17 years. I am a compassionate and dedicated with a strong commitment to helping individuals and couples overcome challenges related to trauma, stress, and anxiety. I believe in the power of therapy to heal and transform lives, and I provide a safe and supportive environment for my clients to explore their concerns and work towards positive change. I use a combination of evidence-based practices, to tailor treatment to the unique needs and goals.

I'm thrilled that you've chosen to embark on the next stage of your journey towards becoming the best version of yourself. I firmly believe that everyone has a unique story, and while some may have faced more challenging beginnings than others, it's not about how it began, but the proactive steps you take to shape a brighter future.

Often, we find ourselves in challenging and difficult moments that can lead us to feeling lost, alone, and overwhelmed. In these moments, it may be when we may find it the most difficult to reach out for support, and so I welcome you in taking the greatest step of all in this journey. My therapeutic approach consists of Collaborative Language Systems, Humanistic-Existential and Phenomenological. With these approaches, I work in a collaborative way to be guided through your story and find meaning in what you share.

I believe in the healing force within each person and its natural inclination to arc towards wholeness and health. If we want it enough, have patience, clarity and support we can heal and feel freedom in life. Growth happens best in relationship and I am here to support you on your path, wherever that might be. I am anchored in Jungian psychology, Existentialism and AEDP/Somatic work. More importantly, I try to cultivate a sense of warmth, care, respect and curiosity in my work with clients. I work with clients experiencing: anxiety, depression, grief, relationship/family issues, PTSD, self-criticism and lack of meaning.

Are you experiencing conflict in your relationships? Are you unable to communicate with your loved ones (i.e. husband/wife or teenagers)? Are you going through some tough legal issues (i.e. child custody, divorce, domestic violence, immigration issues, etc.) that are taking an emotional toll in your life? Is your child not making the academic and social development you envision for him/her? Are you transitioning into a new relationship, job, school, career, life role, etc? I can help you with many of those issues!