Therapists in Echo Park, Los Angeles, CA

If we have learned anything from the pandemic, it is that we all need and thrive in relationships. Therapy is an important tool for developing and nurturing positive relationships, both with others and with yourself. Using my training as a marriage and family therapist, my life experiences and love of people, I foster a safe, warm, non-judgmental environment. I believe that it is not the challenges or traumas that form us, but how we respond to them. Collaboratively we can build resiliency as we discover and heal the obstacles that interfere with you having a deeper, more meaningful life.

Stephanie is a Marriage, Family, Child Psychotherapist in private practice specializes in treating individuals, children, couples, and families. She has 30 years of experience, is known for her warm, direct, authentic, creative, compassionate, and safe approach to treating diverse clients. She integrates the most effective and contemporary clinical skills, including EMDR and Somatic Therapies, to relieve the life-constricting effects of trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, grief & loss, medical trauma, and relationship issues. She is renowned for her expertise in treating adults with medical issues and chronically or terminally ill.

I specialize in working with people who want more love and peacefulness in their lives. I have had post masters level training doing depth work in psychoanalysis. I have been in practice for over 20 years. We will work together for a better understanding of your unconscious inner world and how it affects your life. Close and intimate relationships with others are possible and a basic human need that are yearned for and people deserve. I can help with opening your heart and opening your mind in many new and powerful ways.

I believe the pathways to healing are through our intimate relationships with each other. But because few of us have experienced what it feels like to reach toward the soft embrace of another, and also be held, loved, and received just as we are, how we see and what we tell ourselves in response to life's struggles can become distorted. We develop false senses of self and of others; we wrestle with depression, anxiety, and obsessional thinking. We fall prey to addictions, and we struggle in our relationships, finding ourselves in patterns that bring conflict and disconnection.

We all deserve to feel seen, included, and understood, no matter who we are. As an LGBTQ+ affirmative therapist, my aim is to help you better see yourself in all aspects of who you are, feel more included in relation to those around you, and experience a greater understanding of how you fit into a wider world. Maybe you’re exploring your non-binary gender for the first time. Maybe you’re supporting a transgender family member or partner. Maybe you’re working through relationship challenges as an LGBTQ+ person. Together, we can explore what “seen,” “included,” and “understood” mean for you and how you can achieve them.

Your mood’s been down and you’ve been feeling anxious all the time. The past and the future both feel daunting, but being in the present isn’t any easier. Maybe you’re drifting through life, dissociating, or fixating on food so you can feel a sense of control when everything feels hopelessly out of control. You feel stuck between oppressive social pressures, past experiences, and who you really are. Let’s get you back to you.

Starting a new relationship is a big step. And one of the most important steps in therapy is finding a therapist to build connection and space for healing. I aim to co-create an attuned, safe, and collaborative relationship. Where we go in your therapeutic journey centers around your goals and individuality. Together, we can explore problem narratives, relationship patterns, oppressions that may impact you, and mind-body connection with warmth, curiosity, and compassion. I hope to accompany you through the (re)discovery of your inherent resilience to pursue growth that enables you to live authentically and explore new possibilities.

Choosing a therapist is an important decision. Therapy tends to work best when there is a strong relationship between you and your therapist. My goal is to create an environment where you feel seen, heard, cared for, and understood. Processing your experiences in therapy helps to deepen self-awareness, and can positively impact your mood, functioning, and interpersonal relationships. The therapeutic process can be both challenging and rewarding, so the ideal client is one who is up to the challenge.

My client population consists mainly of the LGBTQ+ community and individuals struggling with trauma or anxiety. In addition, I address challenges particular to women's issues, sexual and gender identity concerns, negative self image/body image and depression. We work through these dilemmas through purposeful and compassionate self care, empowering talk therapy, applied mindfulness techniques, and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, a process that can help to heal the effects of trauma) when applicable.

I take a warm and collaborative approach to psychotherapy and will work with you to achieve symptom relief and lasting change. My background in theater and the arts allows me to be creative and non-rigid in my methods, although I am also goal-oriented and well versed in evidence-based approaches to therapy. I specialize in working with trauma, grief and bereavement, anxiety, depression, addiction and LGBTQIA+ issues. I also work with creatives to help establish flow and decrease blockages. My aim is to build an authentic and trusting relationship with each patient to help individuals lead more fulfilling and meaningful lives.

As a person originally trained in psychodynamics, I care greatly about the experiences and relationships that have shaped you. I am currently perusing more training and consultation in Internal Family Systems and trauma informed approaches. Of primary focus, in my work with clients, is the therapeutic relationship. It is here that our patterns of relating often reveal themselves. Through the safe container of therapy, I invite my clients into new ways of being that invite more creativity, flexibility and deeper relationships.

Do you feel lost or stuck? Disconnected from your body or emotional needs? Perhaps unfulfilled or as if you can't seem to break free from a relational pattern? I see you. You're not alone & I'm passionate about supporting you back home to your truest self. Whether you struggle with anxiety, depression, or are experiencing obstacles in your relationships, I want to work with you to gain more clarity & confidence around communication, needs, boundaries & intimacy. I believe that healing happens in relation- whether to self, other, or the environment & I am intentional about creating a conscious, trusted relationship with my clients.

Are you an emerging professional experiencing anxiety, relationship distress, or dissociation? Are you often hypervigilant, insecure or disconnected from your body? Do you feel you can't trust yourself? Are you aware of self-defeating behaviors, but can't seem to change them? You may have had a "late-in-life" diagnosis, realized your gender or even childhood weren’t what you thought they were. You may have had a recent breakup, job change, newborn or Saturn Return. Wherever you’re at, you want long-lasting change and a Right-Fit Therapist. Someone who is not only Neurodivergent-affirming, but who is Neurodivergent themself.

I am passionate about providing trauma-informed and dynamic treatment to folx who may feel unwelcome in their communities due to both internal and external perceptions of their identity. My passion is working with queer folx of color to foster a healing and reparative experience to discover and be empowered in your authentic self. Whether you're looking for a space of your own, for you and your partner(s) or chosen family, our work together can allow for deeper understanding, openness and communication.

I know change is possible, I've seen this with countless clients and can guide you in reaching your goals. I have over 10 years experience helping individuals reach their mental health goals and improve their relationships. If you're struggling with your partner or struggling yourself, there is hope. In resolving anxiety, depression, unresolved trauma or difficult family dynamics you can get to a healthy and happy place once again. My commitment to our work is that it may be challenging, but you won't have to face it alone.

It is a gift to seek out a space of your own to be witnessed and understood– I’m so glad you are here. My work is rooted in considering the ecosystem of mind, body, spirit, and culture in relationship to community and self. My approach involves being curious about you as a whole person and tapping into the complex interplay of your embodied and emotional world. I draw influence from a relational, mindfulness, and depth lens. As a client-centered therapist, I seek to empower you to define your unique needs and goals for our work together.

I love being a therapist and feel honored to be a part of my clients’ wellness journey. Specializing in trauma-informed somatic therapy, I help people tap into their body’s wisdom to help them feel more integrated in body, mind and spirit. No matter what you are experiencing, you will be met with warmth, patience, and curiosity.

Therapy offers a confidential place of refuge where you can be seen and heard. Together we will explore how external pressures and feelings of self-blame, self-criticism, fear or sadness, as well as loss and past trauma, may be affecting your ability to move forward or express yourself in an authentic way. By devoting time and attention to understanding your unique story and the ways in which past relationships shape current ones, you can gain greater self-awareness and an understanding of how underlying feelings and thoughts are affecting your mood. In building a strong relationship I will help you work through core issues.

Developing a healthy relationship with ourselves and others can be hard. I help people address issues such as depression, anxiety, loneliness, identity concerns, trauma, and problematic relationships. I also work with people who want to develop a deeper, more meaningful relationship with themselves. I will help you understand how your unique history impacts you and will help you uncover the underlying root of your symptoms. Through our work, you will develop effective ways of communicating, coping, and navigating your feelings. I will help you work through emotions, build on strengths, and recognize your value.