Therapists in Los Angeles, CA

Being alive is infinitely complicated. It's wonderful, embarrassing, scary, and exciting. Aliveness can mean so many different things to each person based on their past experiences of self, family, relationships, and systems. In my therapeutic practice, I hold space for this infinite variance, and the struggle to know and communicate it to others. I also maintain a fundamental belief in the possibility and power of connection. Connection allows people to inhabit themselves and their relationships in new ways. It allows for exploration of emotions and desires, and a growing capacity for self-awareness and self-integration.

You are tired of grieving alone, and there's so much you want to express but it’s hard to talk with many friends, family, or others. You go back and forth between fear and anger, and often feel stuck in your grief. Sometimes you prefer to feel numb to it and other times you wish you could burrow into your grief. You know the answer is not to "move on" but you struggle with how to "move forward" in a way that is right for you. It makes you wonder if you are doing all this “correctly.” It seems like you are finally ready to reach out.

Serenity, Equanimity, Peace of Mind. Are these qualities sorely missing from your life? You are not alone. Most Westerners experience rushed living, lack of acceptance, anxious and depressed mood - what inevitably amounts to suffering. While pain is a universal experience, with practice suffering can become optional. But lack of skill, low motivation, and general haggardness of life prevent many from consistent self-care which can alleviate suffering. If this is your story, The Serenity Center was opened with you in mind. Reducing suffering to manageable levels is an achievable goal - and all you may need is a skillful guide.

I strongly believe in the healing power of a safe therapeutic space and human connection to build resilience and foster a more fulfilling life. I strive to co-create a safe space that is warm, collaborative, and empathic so that, together, we can process and integrate past or current traumatic or disruptive experiences, and explore questions of identity, self-concept, and interpersonal relationships. My client-centered, trauma-informed, and integrative approach lends itself to meeting my clients where they are at and walking alongside you as you uncover the strengths and tools within to face life’s challenges.

Are you experiencing grief and loss? Are you navigating health challenges or chronic illness? Do you have parts of yourself that are difficult to share with others? Have you experienced medical or relational/attachment trauma? You've come to the right place. As a queer therapist with chronic illness, I draw from both professional and lived experiences. I believe that therapy can be a reparative experience and that the relationship between a therapist and client can foster immense change and growth. I see clients both via telehealth or outdoors at a local park.

Life can feel very overwhelming, so I’m glad you are here seeking support! We all have strengths and inner resources, but sometimes our ability to access them is clouded. Sometimes we believe an old, limiting story about who we are or how we are supposed to be. Sometimes we just feel stuck. Life can feel more difficult than expected - relationships can suffer, and connection can feel elusive. I have the life experience and clinical training to help. In therapy, we will shift the focus toward creating your preferred story, allowing your authentic self to emerge.

Of all human experience, nothing can fully prepare one for the pain of grief and loss. Perhaps you are grieving the loss of an important relationship, the end of a meaningful career, loss of employment, a miscarriage(s), the sudden death of someone close, losses due to COVID-19, loss of sense of self, or loss related to life cycle transitions. Maybe you are grieving a suicidal loss. If this resonates with your circumstances, I invite you to explore as well as honor your emotions. Please contact me if you would like greater processing, adjusting, and acceptance in your life to help increase your sense of agency.

If you’re looking for a therapist who shows up authentically, provides heartfelt warmth and empathy, and who doesn’t mind using humor or the occasional curse word when appropriate, I hope you'll reach out! Modern life is complex. While our shared world buzzes with relentless motion and change, oppressive systems often feel fixed and difficult to budge. Working towards healing and growth can feel daunting, if not sometimes impossible. I believe a supportive therapeutic relationship can be massively empowering while navigating life's seemingly endless sorrows, joys, and complications.

Are you objectively successful in life, but something still feels missing? Have you noticed yourself repeating old patterns that no longer serve you? I am passionate about creating a safe, supportive environment to guide women on this path to come out stronger on the other side. I utilize a mind-body approach to give you the tools to uncover the root causes of your "stuckness" and help you move forward to live a more full and authentic life. Together we can journey towards understanding how your past influences the way you currently relate in relationships, to yourself, and to the world.

"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty." (Maya Angelou) I understand that as we experience life we will inevitably encounter obstacles and stressors that challenge us to change. I also believe these moments present opportunities for transformation. I recognize that life transitions and personal experiences can sometimes be overwhelming, however they can also be valuable seasons with the potential to generate "peak and valley" experiences that can alter our life course.

Sometimes, our relationship to others, and ourselves, has lost its footing. We may even find ourselves feeling disconnected and overwhelmed by difficult emotions. Though we often push through life’s challenges alone, the truth is, we don’t have to. In our time together, I hope to collaborate with you in identifying the patterns, thoughts, and feelings that may be blocking you from a happy relationship to yourself and others, even if it feels beyond words at this time. I believe an environment of warmth, curiosity, and creativity can help us heal in ways we may have never thought possible.

It can be hard to find places where we are seen, and can see ourselves, with accuracy and empathy. I would be honored to provide you with that space and to walk alongside you as we explore your most important concerns. If you are a couple, I can help you break your negative cycles of communication to reach a more compassionate understanding of one another. If you are a young adult facing the stressors of adulthood for the first time, I can help you find clarity and direction. And if you are grieving, whether it be the ending of a relationship, a death or a major life transition, I can support you and help you to make sense of it.

In my family practice, I often work with children, teens and parents following a meaningful loss, through the challenges of a life transition or a period of anxiety and stress. Many of my clients are processing grief and loss, which comes in may forms.

Clients find me to be both curious about their experiences and respectful of their readiness to share difficult information. I enjoy interacting with, and learning from, people of various backgrounds. I work collaboratively with each client to determine the goals and expectations of sessions. My eclectic style incorporates cognitive and humanistic perspectives. My own experiences with anxiety and PTSD have led me to find ways to help others manage emotions and heal from trauma and loss. My focus is about the process of healing and empowerment, with a spotlight on physical and emotional safety.

Are you struggling with overwhelming emotions? Have you experienced loss, trauma, or other challenges? I am here for you, to help you overcome the emotional pain of past experiences. As a teen, I myself personally experienced the devastating losses of multiple loved ones. Through my own heartbreak, emotional pain, and grief, I was even more inspired to comfort and sit with others during their most challenging times. Funny thing is: I knew I wanted to become a psychotherapist before I even know what a therapist was! I feel so lucky today to counsel clients with such diverse and different stories, backgrounds, and experiences.

Why do people seek therapy? They want to feel better. They want to improve their relationships. They want support in times of loss and transition. A search for insight and personal growth are also reasons. With over 25 years of clinical experience I have an approach that would help you find answer to these issues. Each person brings a unique story to therapy, and I draw from various therapeutic processes utilizing insight, cognitive behavioral and mindfulness techniques to help them gain insight and feel better about their life.

Many clients come to me depressed, grief stricken, or at a loss for where to proceed in their lives. Faulty thinking can block the ability to realize new options for thoughts and behaviors. Training, wisdom, and life experiences allow me to help guide my clients to their best therapeutic path, to personalize treatment, and to help them find their purpose. I work with trauma survivors, people with disabilities, life transitions, crises, hospice care, death, and chronic anxiety. I'm also trained to support artists through their creative struggles. That process provides them the foundation to strengthen them for any future challenges.

I am an empathetic therapist with a passion to create a space where clients can be heard and seen. I have a passion for helping others find healing and growth in their lives and in their relationships with others.

Making a change takes an act of courage. Congratulations on deciding that you want something different. Whether it's difference in your relationship(s), in the way that you engage with yourself, or in your behaviors, thoughts, or emotions, I am excited to work with you as you move forward with the change that you want. I have committed to keeping up with evidence-based practice and constantly growing in multicultural humility to ensure that you can feel supported and valued and also can achieve the needed change to be your best self.