Therapists in Arcadia, CA

No matter your circumstance, whether you have been struggling life-long or just recently stuck in a rut, whether you are suffering from depression or anxiety, dissatisfied with your relationships, unsure how to help your child, crippled by past pain, or simply desiring to grow, there is hope for you. I strive to make the therapy room a warm and safe environment where you feel heard and understood, and where you can honestly and openly explore who you are and who you want to be. I will meet you where you are and walk with you toward growth and healing.

We are passionate about empowering individuals, couples, and families improve their quality of life in the face of adversity. In this healing journey, therapy is a collaborative process where you discover your inner strengths that aids in overcoming life's challenges and promote personal growth. It is about helping you make connections, resolve issues at its roots, and heal in a safe nonjudgmental environment. Our expertise includes working with children, adolescents, and adults who struggle with depression, anxiety, behavioral problems, trauma, domestic violence, parenting, women's issues, men's issues, spirituality, and more.

I focus on providing holistic mental health care taking into account cultural, family dynamics, spiritual, socio-economic, and medical factors that contribute to mental health conditions. My hope is to support individuals, families, and children thrive by identifying and supporting their inner strengths.

Choosing change is hard. Even scary. Unless you are perfectly happy with life as it is right now, you deserve to feel better and live better. We will work together to take action and make change possible! Whether it’s a specific problem or general displeasure, we will explore root causes, process pain, and establish new patterns.

I work from an interpersonal frame of reference and use a variety of techniques including cognitive behavioral approaches in my work with adult individuals and with couples. I work with clients in identifying and changing patterns in their lives that no longer work for them in an effort to help them achieve greater happiness, peace, and balance in their professional and personal lives. I believe in people's ability to change and take charge of their own lives. I work interactively and supportively with clients to bring out their strengths and activate the healthiest parts of themselves to accomplish their goals.

You want to enjoy your relationships and reach your goals. However, some obstacles just keep blocking your success. Whether these obstacles are unresolved past issues, present crises, negative thoughts, challenging emotions, or unhealthy behaviors, they CAN be resolved and changed for the better. As a compassionate professional skilled in the therapeutic integration of brain science and many multimodal treatment approaches, I strive to provide a safe and effective environment for people to resolve their issues and find their strength.

Located in a quaint neighborhood, The Place Within has been serving the counseling and mental health needs of Monrovia and the San Gabriel Valley for over 30 years. We offer AFFORDABLE COUNSELING to adults, children, teens, families and couples. Our name suggests a core belief that informs our philosophy of life and our work as therapists. Deep within each of us is a source of wisdom, joy, and peace that can be tapped under the right circumstances. If you are having trouble finding and using your "Place Within," we are dedicated and trained to assist and support you with that inner journey.

Hey! I'm Laura. I'm glad you are here. If you're feeling stuck in a certain area of your life and thinking of taking the first step in doing something about it-Good for you! My goal in therapy is not only to provide you a warm, nonjudgmental, and safe space to express your thoughts and concerns, but really, to also help you create a shift in order for our sessions to be valuable for your life. My intention is for you to walk out of my office and have gained clarity, strength, freedom and a renewed energy to accomplish your goals. Many of my clients express that they feel "lighter," at the end of our sessions.

Do you want to dig deeper? Are you repeating behaviors or situations and wishing you could break the cycle? Are you or your partner struggling with mismatched communication, attachment, intimacy, vulnerability, desire, culture, or conflict resolution styles? Sometimes, we're not sure what causes our distress, but we can sense we're not reaching our potential for health, happiness, or success. And even when we know the cause, change can still feel impossible. That's where I come in. Without judgment, my job is to listen, help you understand root causes of your difficulties, and teach you practical tools to help change your life.

I am an EMDR therapist who helps strong, independent and sensitive people get unstuck from the same rollercoaster of emotions and patterns. On your good days, you feel positive about yourself and where you're headed in life. Other times, you are weighed down by anxiety, depression, worry, and negative thoughts about yourself or something that happened to you in the past. And this impacts your work, school, or relationships. Maybe you've even gone to therapy before in the past; while it did help, you still feel stuck in a loop of negative emotions and are just ready to move forward!

Brene Brown says, "If we really want to live a joyful, connected, and meaningful life, we must talk about things that get in the way.” - There are times in our lives where we feel disconnected with ourselves, others, and the world around us, and instead of living with compassion, clarity, and stillness, you are stuck feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, helpless, frustrated. It's so hard to do that alone - you're not supposed to do this on your own. I am here to support you get you out of the trenches. I am passionate about helping you navigate this journey of self-discovery towards growth and healing.