Kaiser (Out-of-Network) Therapists in 91361

Powerful, Effective Therapy - If you are going through a really difficult situation, let's get you feeling better quickly. I will help you learn some practical strategies you can use but equally important, I will help you develop powerful skills that will give you greater balance and calm even if you are in a seemingly impossible situation. I know it takes courage to make that first call - take the leap and invest in yourself and your greater happiness and well-being.

You and your partner sit silently on the sofa. The TV is on, & you're both looking at your phones. Though in the same room, you might as well be a world apart. You're feeling neglected, unappreciated, & lonely. There's little affection between you these days. You try to focus on all the positives in your life, but your unhappiness is becoming the elephant in the room - harder and harder to ignore. You long to feel desired, appreciated, & a priority in your partner's life. You're afraid to talk to your partner about your true feelings as conversations are often misunderstood or full of conflict. You don't know where to turn.

When we seek therapy it is usually because we reach a point when our problems and challenges outweigh our ability to cope with them. Sometimes we feel stuck in old patterns of behavior or relationships that no longer work for us and we wish to make changes. I serve as a collaborator with you on your journey of self discovery as you find new ways of being and making more appropriate life choices. I provide safety and support as you experience psychological understanding and growth and remain with you as you develop ways to handle life's burdens in more empowering ways.

From helping adolescents cope with big life situations and transitions, to facilitating individual/group mental health services for adults; helping people experience lasting change and true recovery with self and others are the core values in my psychotherapy practice.

I offer support to individuals, children, and families who are trying to overcome some challenge in their lives. Whether it be an individual trying to overcome depression or anxiety, or a traumatic event; a parent wanting to find ways to deal with a struggle their child is having; a teen or young adult dealing with the difficulties of life transitions or destructive behaviors; my background, clinical training and experience can provide both support, as well as clinically effective solutions to help you achieve the goals you would like to achieve in therapy.

As a former teacher and director of a school for the past 30 years, including working with youth on probation, I feel that I can offer knowledgeable perspectives on parenting as well as offering mandated clients classes in both parenting and anger management.My classes have been court accepted. I also offer a calm, warm, and safe environment for couples, individuals and children. I care about families and I am aware of how each individual can affect the whole. I believe that we are like snowflakes in that we each experience our very individualized perception of experience.

Both becoming a licensed MFT, and my life experiences, have led me on a journey of self-discovery and compassion for the collaborative, intuitive, team-oriented healing journey. I began my recovery in 2006 and am passionate about helping others navigate their journey towards self-empowerment as they gain inner strength.

All of life's unknowns can be terrifying, but everything you want for yourself to live your best life is on the other side of fear. Often it requires us to be much more compassionate with ourselves on our way towards growth. Compassion to recognize that growth takes time and moving from point A to Z doesn’t happen overnight. Change is clearly not easy. If it were there would be no need for anyone’s assistance as we grow and change. When we distract ourselves in any way, such as with tv, cleaning, alcohol, or any other means of checking out, we are in a state of avoidance.

The areas of expertise are: addictions, marriage therapy, child/adolescent therapy. Additionally, We treat individuals, couples, and families with anxiety, depression, anger, domestic violence, all addictions, sexual and emotional abuse/neglect, low self esteem, bullying, failing grades, being oppositional, cutting, anxiety, depression, suicide, death of a loved one, and domestic violence. Additionally, there are two Associate Marriage Family Therapy interns that graduated from Pepperdine that work here, Doug May and Austin Johnson, that see clients that need low cost therapy starting at $50-80 and will be on insurance panels soon