Expressive Arts Therapists in Santa Barbara, CA

Whether you're struggling with work, relationships or life changes our time together can alleviate confusion and suffering. You may be struggling with trauma triggers, family of origin patterns, or social and cultural pressures. Sometimes life is simply uncertain and overwhelming. You can create a life of intention and authenticity moving beyond unconscious reactions to insight and meaning. You will be in a safe place to honestly tend to your feelings and needs. I work holistically and respect you as a whole person who is uniquely coping with what has happened to you.

I am passionate about working with children, adolescents, families and young adults. I believe that one of the most powerful aspects of the therapy process is the relationship between the therapist and client, the therapeutic relationship. our work together needs to be collaborative so that you feel both supported and safe. To achieve this I will adjust my style in order to best fit your needs and help you reach your counseling goals. I invite and encourage you to ask questions about your session. I honor your inquisitiveness about your own process.

I believe the primary goal of psychotherapy is to help people find purpose and meaning in their lives. I work collaboratively with my patients to help them to navigate life transitions, resolve interpersonal issues, achieve goals, and create the life changes they desire.

At times we encounter situations that may affect our ability to manage daily tasks. We can also have experiences that have created symptoms over time. I understand healing is not a straight line and though you may have goals, things can get in the way of reaching them. Clients I see experience PTSD, life transition issues, anxiety and overwhelm, and depression. I offer a safe, receptive and inclusive space for clients to explore the innate wisdom of body, mind, and soul and work through the experiences that feel the most challenging.

I am a clinical psychotherapist with a Jungian orientation. I work well with intuitive, feeling, creative types; high functioning individuals who can present really well, and whose problems aren’t very apparent to others. I treat anxiety and depression; both long-term conditions and new unexpected episodes due to stage of life transitions and life stressors. (eg Covid related, relationships, job loss, co-occuring medical conditions). I have treated addiction and substance use issues in both residential and intensive outpatient settings. I also work as an educator & mental health consultant (see: parent consultation for child).

My work as a therapist is to meet each individual in her own process with understanding and compassion. My background is in family systems, Jungian psychology, art, and Buddhist practice. I specialize in treating clients who are experiencing anxiety, depression, grief, and/or trauma and those who may have suffered for some time without relief. Depth therapy often includes work with dreams, EMDR, art, and sand tray. I enjoy working with people from diverse cultures and orientations. As a supervisor for 25 years, I also enjoy working with interns on their way to licensure. Buddhist mindfulness practice informs my life and work.

Welcome! I am so glad you are here and I look forward to assisting you on your journey. I believe that we all have the power to heal and make meaningful changes in our lives. As your therapist, my role is to create a safe and non-judgmental space for us to explore what is troubling you, collaboratively navigate the waters of your inner world, and compassionately uproot outdated patterns that keep you stuck and stagnant. No matter what you are going through, where you are coming from, or where you want to go, I am here for you. I want to help you navigate all that this life may bring and help you live it to the fullest.

Welcome! I help people with a variety of problems, from depression and anxiety to trauma and recovery. I can help you. I am a depth therapist (seeing causes, rather than only symptoms) and a somatic therapist (integrating a healthy mind and body), and I've found that more important than my background is a non-judgmental attitude, attention to your personal needs, and the quality of a collaborative therapy relationship. I'm on your side. My clients gain crucial insights, learn essential coping skills and dramatically improve their relationships, outlook, and prospects for the future. Their lives become much more vital and satisfying.

Feeling anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed? Stuck? Unsatisfied in your relationships, work, or social life? Are you your own harshest critic? Is a life transition challenging you? Do you want a better understanding of yourself? Are you concerned about your child or teen's happiness? Do they struggle with pressures of school and or friends? Have difficulty communicating and expressing feelings? Do you sense something is wrong but don't know how to help? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, now may be time to explore psychotherapy. I welcome the opportunity to join you or your child through this journey.

Are you looking to create a richer, more fulfilling life? Whether you're moving through one of life's many transitions, having relationship problems, feeling burnt-out in life, or suffering from depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, or chronic illness, I have the experience and skills to join with you to explore the barriers that may be both hindering you as well as creating additional suffering in your experience. In therapy, I will support you to identify your strengths as well as to build new skills and behaviors to support your goals and to enhance your health and well-being. I see clients via telehealth in CA and MI.

Accelerated focused healing! As a Certified EMDR therapist and EMDR consultant-in-training, I offer evidence-based therapy for clients and training for therapists. As a relational and attachment informed trauma therapist, I provide compassionate, warm, and intelligent therapy, and I’m here to support you on your journey to healing. My passion is utilizing the powerful benefits of Accelerated EMDR with clients who are ready to live without disturbing clinical symptoms. Using EMDR therapy we create a plan together to establish and accomplish goals, and provide tools for life’s successes, changes, and challenges.

As the founder of Santa Barbara Ecotherapy, I recognize that "therapy as usual" doesn't work for everyone. Perhaps you've said, "Nature is my therapy." AND, you need something more. Something like real therapy, in nature. Nature therapy. Welcome! You found it. Let's get to work on self-mastery, insight and clarity, self-honoring choices, healthy boundaries infused with compassion, active inner wisdom, and engagement with Wisdom greater than ourselves to get you the life you desire. Yes, you, too, can move through the world well-rooted yet free-flowing, safe in your right to create a thriving, purposeful life.

Are you feeling defeated in your life? Are you struggling with anxiety, depression, family and relationship issues? With over 22 years of experience, I offer a blend of cognitive-behavioral therapy and mind-body modalities to help you feel more empowered in your life. Together, we unwind the beliefs you hold onto that keep you stuck and limited. This allows you to make new choices in all areas of your life, enabling a state of peace, calm, and fulfillment. When you are no longer held back by a limited point of view, you are more flexible, open, and able to make positive changes.

I'm a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in Somatic Psychotherapy. Somatic simply means "relating to the body" and in therapy this means that I have been uniquely trained to integrate the wisdom from our biology into treatment. Our bodies relate information that, should we choose to listen, can support our overall mental health. This way of working can have profound effects on anxiety, depression, trauma, addictions, and disordered eating. The clients that receive maximum benefit from my approach have an open mind about how the body influences thoughts, not just how thoughts influence the body.

Are you longing for joy, passion, creativity and a sense of wholeness? Do you want to be energetically free from physical and/or emotional pain? Do you want to recover fully from an eating disorder or disordered eating that is affecting the quality of your life? Do you want to lose or gain weight? Do you want to be more creatively expressed? Does anxiety and fear hold you back from developing meaningful relationships? Perhaps you are suffering from infertility? Feelings of loss and longing? Feeling stuck? I would love to work with you, to help you move from inside out.

As an openly transgender therapist, I know it can be difficult to find the right person to confide in. Wanting to be loved and accepted doesn’t make you needy, or extra, or selfish, or weak. It makes you human. To me, you are not just some random psychology textbook or theory. In our work together, my focus is to build goals and a relationship where you feel comfortable exploring what you think, feel, want, and need. My style as a therapist is warm, relaxed, and conversational. I use playfulness, imagery, art, metaphors, curiosity, creativity, self-compassion, and humor when appropriate to support the therapeutic process.

A person comes to therapy when their present ways of being in relationship, or in the world, no longer seem to hold the meaning they once did. My aim is to support you in creating a new foundation of hope, purpose, and meaning in your life. I help people seek wholeness through the integration of mind, body, and soul, thus expanding their current level of understanding, and in so doing, creating the capacity to live more meaningfully.

Hello and welcome! Congratulations on having the courage to reach out for your own well-being. Taking that first step is the beginning of a healing and expansive journey. I provide a safe space in which to explore your reasons for seeking therapy and to help bring out the strengths and resources that already exist inside of you to further your own life satisfaction. I have sat with many who are suffering and have companioned those experiencing grief, loss, and life transitions.

Welcome. It seems that more and more people are seeking the support and guidance that psychotherapy provides. The most common issues among those seeking my services include: Experiencing high levels of stress or anxiety; Difficulty with relationships at home, school, or work; Persistent feelings of loneliness, sadness, or depression; Confusion around spirituality, identity, or vocation; Feeling overwhelmed with life's demands or life transitions. Through a collaborative and trusting therapeutic relationship, I have helped a diverse range of individuals achieve increased stability and balance, more fulfilling relationships, as well as personal growth and transformation.