Therapists in West Hollywood, CA

I provide depth therapy for adults navigating life challenges and relationships. I hold graduate 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.

Your best therapist is a witness to your life. Your hope is that if your pain and struggle is seen by another, so will your desires, resilience, and resourcefulness. My place in your therapy is to see you, hear you, and reflect your power back to you. Sharing your journey lets me witness your transformations, big and small. I see and ask: How has systemic oppression affected you, your family, and your communities? I work with Clients anywhere on the spectrums of gender/sexuality, (non)religion, ability, and cultural & racial identity; who express body and sex positivity everywhere from asexual to kink…monogamous to poly…and beyond.

If you are moving through a difficult transition or wanting to tend to the deeper psychological aspects of past traumatic situations or persistent addictions, my work can help you. My training is based in a psychoanalytic perspective coupled with mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and a genuine appreciation for sexual, cultural, and spiritual diversity. A psychoanalytic view suggests that current problems may be sourced in unconscious patterns, often rooted in the past, that would benefit from attention and understanding. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy helps reduce addictive behaviors and anxiety through the practice of gentle self observation and present moment awareness.

I get it. Everyone else manages a seemingly perfect life, but your family somehow can’t. It’s frustrating being unable to figure out what’s causing problems in your family. You’re too busy and/or embarrassed to seek help. But failure to act can be devastating. Family conflict escalates, miscommunication deepens disconnection driving the family further apart. Teenagers feel isolated, helpless, and alone, which can lead to bursts of anger, lack of motivation, poor grades, school refusal, difficulty becoming an adult, as well as impulsive & risky behaviors like substance abuse, self-harm, or worse.

I’m a therapist, cancer survivor, and former tech industry executive. My practice focuses on adults, couples, and teens. In working with me, you’ll experience a mix of warmth, depth, challenge, and most of all dedication to the healing and growth you're seeking. My integrative approach balances relational psychodynamic therapy, solution focus, somatics (Mind-body), and mindfulness. Our work together might include demystifying difficult emotions, processing trauma, improving self-esteem, coping with change, strengthening relationships, increasing motivation, or exploring the many layers of health challenges.

Sometimes life gets complicated. We all want a life of joy and abundance, free from worry, depression and anxiety, without a need to escape reality or avoid parts of our life. Let's together find the answers and tools you seek and help to move you to the next phase of your life! I strongly believe that deep and lasting change is possible through a mix of psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, and mindful therapy.

Welcome to our practice! We are experienced clinicians in Beverly Hills and DTLA available to work with adults, children, couples and families. Some typical psychotherapy concerns are relationship issues, interracial/intercultural/interfaith relationships, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, undereating and overeating, body image issues, personality disorders, infidelity, high conflict divorce, family reunification, racial trauma, parenting/child behavior problems, sexual compulsivity/addiction, sexual abuse/assault, complex trauma/PTSD, compulsive spending/shopping, LGBTQIA+ concerns, BIPOC concerns, and more.

My essential approach is rooted in Cognitive-Behavioral and Transformative Psychology. I observe thought and emotion patterns, self-narratives that originate , in childhood, and hard-wired in adulthood, creating depression, anxiety, PTSD symptoms, and obsessional thinking. Clinical studies indicate that conceptual information are minimally effective, because they do not create the necessary experiential and Limbic shift required for long-term breakthroughs. Neurons that wire together will fire together , creating healthy neural wiring, that will result in living a more optimal life, a kinder relationship with Self and others.

I’m an expert in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety, OCD, depression, and ADHD. As a clinical faculty member in UCLA’s Psychology Ph.D. program, I train graduate students in evidence-based therapy. I am also the director of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Los Angeles, a group practice dedicated to providing evidence-based therapy. I have a deep, personal commitment to providing the most cutting-edge, science-based therapy interventions to my clients so they get better faster.

I am not a typical therapist. I see myself as a co-author, witness, helpful ally, teammate, collaborator and useful resource. Rather than taking a role as an “expert” by making assumptions or interpretations about your life, I love to use skillful conversation and artful question-asking to help you get past obstacles and problems. You are here on this page because you have strength in you, you have desire in you and you have healing in you. You are the main character in your own life. Therapy can either help or hinder the development of this character as someone powerful, capable and whole.

Everything is easier when you feel confident that your partner is in your corner. Sharing the weight of your struggles and amplifying life's joys in what makes relationships worth all the work. Our greatest emotional wounds come from our relationships, and our romantic relationships hold the most healing capacity for not only our collective healing but our individual healing as well. If you're looking for better communication, repairing trust, or throwing out the rulebook and creating your own new paradigm, I'm here to help.

Are you feeling stuck and get overwhelmed when you think about making changes in your life? Or maybe there has been a big unexpected life event that feels too huge to handle and the coping skills you normally use aren’t working anymore. I help my clients make changes in their lives by helping them work through unhelpful patterns and behaviors, conducting an examination of where things are for them currently vs. where they would like things to be and to make the adjustments in their lives that helps steer them into a positive direction.

Are you looking for a way back home? Have you lost connection with yourself? Therapy is a sacred space where you can re-connect with your authentic feelings and align with your true self. Through mindful, compassionate and attuned attention to your emotions and needs, you can recover that spark that remains hidden within you. Here at Matt Porter MFT, we offer evidence-based treatments combined with empathy and a genuine focus on your needs. Therapy is an individualized experience, and we tailor our interventions to meet your goals. We work with individuals, couples, adolescents/youth, families, groups, elders, and LGBTQ clients.

Transitions are hard. There is often so much shame around trying to figure out who we are and asking for what we want. Am I going to burden others? Am I too much for people if I ask for something that I desire? Am I being "selfish"? Who am I to "demand" others for things I don't think I "deserve"? If these are some of the questions you have asked yourself, then I'm here to help. It's okay to feel lost, like you're wandering the woods alone. I'm here for you so we can wander these woods together.

Whether you are dealing with an unexpected change, trauma, anxiety, health challenge, relationship stress, depression or other mental health issue, having a trusted guide on the path can make all the difference. I have found mind body therapies get to the root of where we get stuck and allow for positive change. In my experience, an integrative approach brings about deep healing.

My approach to therapy is relational and authentic. While research suggests ‘successful’ therapy is less about the modality than the therapeutic alliance, I offer proven techniques from psychodynamic, CBT, and somatic therapies to help you cultivate what we all wish for--good feelings that last. If your history includes neglect/abuse or other forms of trauma, you may learn ways to calm your nervous system, better tolerate difficult feeling states, and maximize your potential to thrive at work and in healthy relationships.

ZEN PSYCHOTHERAPY . PERFORMANCE COACHING . MEDITATION . BREATHWORK I primarily work with clients in high-profile and high stress arenas: Artists, Athletes, Executives, Creatives, Entrepreneurs. My clients want to cultivate the mindset and behaviors that contribute growth, healing, love, and creativity, and performance. They are open to the principle that forms of fear and psychological clutter are often the pathways to the above mentioned.

Do you feel stuck, depressed, alone? Are you ready to take the next step, but don't know where to begin or to whom to turn? My practice is firmly rooted in depth psychology built on the traditions of Carl Jung and Buddhist thought with emphasis on employing the imagination and dream work. I am a firm believer in human potential and growth and have a deep reverence for the workings of spirit and soul. Psychotherapy is an adventure in self-discovery and healing. Let's begin your journey.