Psychodynamic Therapists in Pico-Robertson, Los Angeles, CA

With a background in depth and transpersonal psychology, I utilize an integrative approach, drawing upon multiple psychological modalities including psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral therapy, family systems, mindfulness strategies, Buddhist psychology, and transtheoretical therapy. Utilizing these approaches is an important part of helping my clients grow towards self-understanding, self-reliance and emotional soothing. In addition, clients develop the ability to be more at ease and compassionate with themselves while being less reactive to their negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

I work with clients on issues ranging from depression, anxiety, OCD, addiction to relationship, career and identity issues and I work with couples. I’ve had a specialty in hair pulling and skin picking since 2001: See my website.  I use many theories in my work—psychodynamic, Jungian dreamwork and mindfulness practice to name a few—but my style is existential humanistic, working in the present. I see the ultimate goal as supporting you in living from an authentic, empowered place, feeling a sense of inner security, hearing and trusting your true inner voice—not the inner critic—and having a strong sense of self to guide you in life.

I treat clients with a variety of problems that impact their relationships, functioning, and personal growth. My areas of emphasis include depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD/trauma recovery, workplace stress, life and career transitions, and creative issues/artist support (I work with many entertainment professionals). We collaborate to explore how past and present relationships and experiences reflect unconscious patterns that may impede us, make it difficult to stop our impulses, or cause suffering. The goal is to alleviate symptoms and to help people live healthier lives and make more meaningful connections with others.

I am a seasoned Clinical Psychologist with dual licenses: Psychologist & Marriage Family Therapist. I have been in practice 45 years in the Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Marina del Rey areas and now Pico-Robertson. I am also the author of many children's books. My specialities include Grief and Facilitative Therapy as well as working with families, couples, children and adolescents. I am warm and interactive in my approach. I have an extensive educational and training background.

Make time for yourself today. Painful symptoms from depression, anxiety, and/or relationship problems can cause great difficulty as we try to navigate through daily life. You don't have to go through difficult times alone. Talking about what you are experiencing is the first step to feeling better. I listen carefully and openly to current and past struggles to help promote self-awareness and understanding. I work closely with my clients to alleviate problematic symptoms and promote overall well-being.

I have been a mental health practitioner for 24 years and while I generally practice within a psychodynamic framework, I strongly believe in treating the individual and appreciate the uniqueness of each client. Therefore, I employ a variety of techniques and tailor my treatment in accordance with your needs. My style is integrative, interactive, and collaborative. I treat clients dealing with depression, anxiety, relationship problems, career dilemmas, distressing life events, loss, and a desire for growth/self-exploration. I work primarily with individual adults and couples.

My approach to therapy is grounded in the belief that emotional well-being develops within the context of supportive and positive relationships. With a focus on collaboration, I seek to create a nurturing environment that allows for a deepened sense of connection to oneself and others. Participating in the therapeutic process often leads to an expanded capacity to draw upon internal resources to manage strong emotions and navigate complex relationships.

I offer a warm, honest partnership for anyone who is struggling emotionally. People come in feeling alone in some way: overwhelmed, unfulfilled, blocked creatively or convinced that everyone else in the world is different from them. Or, maybe you are grieving the break-up of a relationship, marriage, or the death of someone close. Feeling alone in your pain is often the worst part.

I grew up in a small steel mill town in Ohio. I earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University in the nascent field of Psycholinguistics. Upon graduation I moved to West Hollywood and became an activist in its inception as the “first gay city in the US”. I’m proud to have been a catalyst for inclusion in a business operation that had been a bastion for exclusivity where I opened doors without regard to race, sexuality, gender identity, or abledness. My Practice reflects that inclusivity. I see primarily Adult Individuals; as well as young adults & teens; ranging in age from 14yo thru + +; and Couples .

I want to help people discover, think about, give meaning to, and find compassion for, alienated parts of themselves that are repressed and forbidden, containing unmet needs, historic conflicts, and unfulfilled dreams. Reunion with these parts can help people better understand their current behaviors, thoughts, and feelings and develop options for changing old patterns in their relationships with themselves, partners, and work that were once effective defenses against psychological pain. Therapy helps us become more fully alive, creative, connected to others, and free to be ourselves with less, and perhaps more realistic, fear-- individually, in our families, cultures, and society.

I believe that our journeys, through life's experiences and struggles, make us who we are. My own life's journey has led me to my career as a psychotherapist, which allows me the opportunity, honor, and privilege, to work together with my clients to realize their own strengths, limitations, and to identify and achieve their goals. I believe this can take place, within a strong therapeutic relationship, built on non-judgment, trust, safety, and compassion.

As a psychologist, my goal is to help you make lasting changes in your life. In a setting emphasizing compassion and kindness, I encourage you to work through areas where you are stuck. Together we will discover your resources to go beyond past and current traumas and troubled relationships. I work with individuals, couples, and families. While my approaches vary with your needs and aspirations, the goal is to establish a trusting relationship that will help you find your own way to joy and fulfillment.

Wether you struggle to restore perspective, calm and balance in your life, attempt to heal trauma, depression and anxiety, or seek to discover and pursue greater potential and purpose, I offer a safe, open, curious and non-judgemental place to do just that. Everything you think, feel, do and experience actually makes complete sense - we simply may need some time to understand and appreciate why it does. This growing awareness allows for better design of a life with purposeful future and relief from the past, offering real, actual choice rather than the apparent choice in repetitive, automatic and unconscious routines.

Many have lives where we wear many hats; home, career, relationships, family, and it can become overwhelming. When life adds stressors, it can make managing the hats difficult. I work with clients to take control of their lives by learning to set boundaries and discover the best versions of themselves, no matter what life has handed them in their pasts or in the present. My goal is for each person to learn why they are the way they are, learn how to progress through life, choose different paths, change patterns and behaviors to find a hopeful, peaceful sense of self.

Are you struggling with your life and your emotions? Maybe you are experiencing difficulties in your relationships with others, trouble at home, anxiety, an addiction, or just a really challenging personal situation that you feel alone with. Perhaps you want your life to be different somehow but are feeling stuck. I would like to help you. It may feel hopeless right now, but you will have my years of experience and wisdom, skills and compassion with you - and together we will increase the quality of your life so that you may move forward with increased well-being , satisfaction, and meaning in your life.

My counseling style is compassionate, reflective, and rooted in radical self acceptance. My focus is on helping you accept the parts of yourself that are hard to tolerate and be at peace with. I have been a psychotherapist for 13 years and I am licensed in the state of California. I have worked with people from various backgrounds that grapple with differing issues, such as, depression, anxiety, PTSD, chronic pain/illness, childhood abuse and trauma, relationship issues, parenting problems, grief, domestic violence and life transitions.

Your very act of reading these words is an indication that you have become curious about yourself and are interested in embarking upon a profound journey of self-discovery. Whether you are experiencing distress or simply wish to reach a more elevated and conscious existence, I welcome the idea of working with you. I work with adults (18 and over) and specialize in psychoanalytic/psychodynamic psychotherapy that works by addressing underlying issues that cause troubling symptoms. I also co-run a women's trauma group and a women's bereavment group. My aim is to help people meet their potential and feel more satisfied in their lives

I find the best way for me to help people reach their goals is to work collaboratively and to build a therapeutic relationship based on trust, honesty, and openness. An individualized therapeutic approach is imperative for helping explore my clients’ unique life experiences. We work together utilizing an eclectic interactive approach that encourages feedback and collaboration to shape treatment to meet a client's individual needs. Together we formulate a plan to address achieving specific short-term goals aimed at improving daily life in addition to long term growth focusing on personal development.

Are you interested in learning more about a therapeutic journey where art, play, and creativity will become powerful tools for healing and growth? I'm here to guide you through a world where therapy isn't just about talking – it's about painting, sculpting, and imagining. As a therapist deeply passionate about working with children, I've discovered that art, expressive arts, and play therapy offer profound avenues for emotional expression and transformation. So, if you're ready to witness your child's potential unfold in a space where imagination knows no bounds, I would be so honored to be a part of your journey!