Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapists in Studio City, CA

I provide depth therapy for adults navigating life challenges and relationships. I hold degrees from Northwestern and Cambridge and have clinical expertise in: ADHD, addiction, anxiety, chronic illness, depression, grief, marriage/dating, men's issues, self-esteem, and trauma. I have a special passion for working with LGBTQ folks and men. In our therapy, I stand right beside you exploring complex issues and growing your personal edges. You don't have to go it alone.

I specialize in couples, relationships and life transitions of all kinds. I'm mature. Been there myself and can light the way. I have a deep therapeutic toolkit tailored to your unique situation. I don't live in an ivory tower of psychoanalytic theory and am told I'm easy to talk to and compassionate. I believe in personal growth and walk the talk. I returned to grad school at age 60 to follow my lifelong dream to be a therapist and provide a welcoming environment where you as an individual or a couple can experience self-determination. I enjoy working with people of all ages, ethnicities and sexual orientations.

When you are experiencing heightened stress, anxiety, grief, self-judgment, loneliness, or a sense of hopelessness, it's hard to know where to turn. These are symptoms that develop when internal parts are left unknown or are misunderstood. You are not alone. It is natural to feel confused, insecure, and overwhelmed when you can't see your way out. Help is available, and you have taken the first step. I am professionally trained in Internal Family Systems, Level 2. I can help you build an internal relationship that heals from within.

One of the best things my dad ever said to me was: Unless you believe in reincarnation, it’s time to be happy now. (Personally, I think this applies even if you do believe in reincarnation.) How to make the most of our time, our relationships, and ourselves - for me, these are the key questions that led me to become a marriage and family therapist. Along with traditional talk therapy, I use EMDR (if desired) to help you work through present challenges and past difficult experiences so that you can live more freely in the here and now - unencumbered by old self-defeating beliefs and fears.

My mission as a therapist is to affirm the best in you. I believe that as human beings we require a sense of safety and affirmation in order to take the courageous step of examining our own lives, even those aspects that are painful. I seek to provide that safety with a warm and collaborate approach to treatment. The services I provide are trauma focused and identity affirming. I have experience working with young adults in community mental health, as well as with adolescents in a high school setting.

Claudia is an EMDR certified bilingual Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW 83703) who is licensed to practice in New York and California. She has over 15 years of experience working with individuals of all ages, couples, and families. Claudia specializes in trauma recovery, family systems and relationship issues, fertility concerns, substance abuse and recovery, sexual and gender identity, grief and loss, depression, anxiety, and migration and acculturation challenges. Claudia collaborates with the client in curating a space that nurtures self-resiliency, strength, and embraces complexity with renewed care and compassion.

My passion for my work comes from helping you with your current problems and longstanding patterns in a caring, nonjudgmental, and insightful way. The joint learning, collaboration, and even humor on this journey inspires me, as we work as a team. I am an engaged, interactive, and respectful therapist, whether I am with individuals, couples, or groups. And coming from a multicultural family background, I celebrate all types of diversity and various points of view. My areas of specialty include trauma and PTSD; relationship issues and couples; creative clients; career transitions; and family members of the mentally ill.

If you are encountering difficulties emotionally, in your relationships, or in your career, a safe and attuned therapeutic relationship can be transformative. My approach is relational, warm, and collaborative. I draw from attachment theory and evidence-based practices such as Eye Movement Desenitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy-informed therapy (DBT-informed), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), as well as mindfulness-based interventions.

I am passionate about working with individuals struggling with the effects of childhood trauma, anxiety, perfectionism, and substance use issues. You deserve support along your healing journey and my job is to help bring awareness to unhelpful patterns in your life that may be negatively impacting the way you view yourself, relationships, and other areas of your life. I take a trauma-informed and somatic-based approach to help my clients get to the root of their issues for long-term healing.

You deserve an affirming space for all of your parts to be embraced. I work with survivors of acute and complex trauma who tend to be perfectionists and struggle with self-criticalness. I specifically specialize in working with marginalized populations, with a majority of my clients being women, LGBTQ+, and trans/non-binary. Many of my clients internalize the stigma and shame conditioned by our society's oppressive norms and politics. I help my clients find self-compassion, embrace their authenticity, and process their trauma from an intersectional, warm approach that always emphasizes fostering safety rather than "fixing."

Is your daily life chaotic and distressing? Do you struggle to navigate friendships or romantic relationships? Are there days you feel like you just cannot stop your thoughts from spiraling out of control? I am an intensively trained DBT therapist specializing in Borderline Personality Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Complex Trauma, Addictive and Co-Occurring Disorders. I utilize a non-judgmental, person-centered, strengths-based approach, incorporating additional evidence-based modalities such as ACT, CBT, Prolonged Exposure, TF-CBT, and IFS to help you begin to build your life worth living.

I specialize in helping people struggling with sexuality & relationships, grief/loss, and LGBTQ+ issues. That includes anyone who has grown up feeling unaccepted as their authentic self or experienced the loss of a loved one. I especially understand the deep impact of childhood trauma and how to approach healing. I believe healing begins with connection. Good therapy is a safe place where all parts of you are welcome! The trust we build together comes with an open invitation to explore the protected parts of yourself at your own pace.

Are you stuck or blocked with moving towards the relationship, job, or inner calm you desire? Often at the core of feeling stuck or blocked is unprocessed trauma. While traumatic events happened in the past your mind may still be on high alert as if the event is happening right now. Trauma disconnects us from our self, our bodies and from others. It can interfere with our sleep, mood, thinking, and relationships along with our overall health and wellness. The good news is that our bodies are able to recover from such events and we can move out of the stuck places and recover our resiliency and courage.

Do you often feel like no one understands you? Are you in a relationship where you are constantly trying to figure out what is going on? Are you confused as to why you feel unmotivated, have trouble sleeping, and aren't happy? I will help you feel less alone as well as guide you through a deeper understanding of what is happening for you. I am passionate about improving relationships, whether that's with friends, family or oneself. Most of us have a hard time identifying our emotions, or rely on feelings of happy, sad, mad to express ourselves. I will teach you how to recognize your emotions more accurately.

My specialty is working with individuals of all ages who may be depressed or lacking direction and purpose in life. My approach to therapy is a deliberate balance of compassion and acceptance coupled with confrontation and truth. I look forward to developing a deep and meaningful therapeutic alliance through which we may conquer any obstacles in the way of you achieving your highest purpose, whatever you decide for that to be.

Do you seek relief from anxiety, low self worth, negative self-talk? Are you creative, highly sensitive, or feel like a "black sheep"? I can relate in both my being-human and therapy journeys... As a holistic therapist, I use brain science w/ tried and true coping tools plus somatic, Jungian, Parts Work, and expressive arts therapies. I believe we all have innate gifts + strengths that we "remember" and reactivate through meaningful connections that also birth self-trust. Together, we'll heal anxiety/stress, trauma, identity + relationship issues by exploring your stories, automatic beliefs, and emotions your brain/mind/body hold.

Has talk therapy been unhelpful? My specialties include healing from trauma and recovery from codependency utilizing an attachment-focused somatic approach. As your therapist, I will help you understand the past so that you feel equipped to create healthier relationships.

Are you in search of a therapist who takes a holistic, person-centered, open-minded approach to mental health? Someone who is passionate about serving individuals from all walks of life, especially those within the Latinx community.. and maybe even a therapist who is fluent in Spanish? Whatever your struggles may be, I am dedicated to providing a safe, welcoming, and judgment-free environment where you can explore and heal. I believe in treating individuals as unique, whole beings, considering not only mental and emotional aspects but also our physical and spiritual wellbeing.

I work with you to find peace and meaning in your life. It might not be easy, but I believe it's possible for everyone. As society increasingly ignores the vital role relationships and emotions play in our daily choices, I strive to help you reconnect with those feelings and use them responsibly to enhance your relationships. We will work together to understand your role in the larger tapestry of life and feel more comfortable within it. To me, the real goal of therapy is to embrace our feelings and understand their usefulness, not squash them down in favor of mere logic like a Vulcan.