Therapists in San Diego, CA

My passion is supporting people to overcome the anxiousness that keeps them stuck. My style is very relational, which means I believe our connection in therapy is what matters most. Therapy can be uncomfortable and push us to be vulnerable, so it is important to build trust before we dig deeper. The value of our work together is you get CLARITY about who you are, what you want, and how to get there. Often times our traumas or anxieties keep us stuck living in patterns we don't know how to shake. Let's sort it out together and get you on a path that lets you enjoy life.

Hello! I’m so glad you’re here. Deciding to reach out for support is a challenging but important step toward creating a life of meaning, satisfaction, and joy. Therapy is a place to express and unpack complicated feelings and negative thoughts and to practice new ways of relating and responding to yourself and others. Following treatment with me, clients typically report understanding themselves more fully, increased self-compassion and empathy, and richer, healthier communication with peers and loved ones. I care deeply about my clients and will be an active participant in helping you to create desired change.

As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), I specialize in guiding couples, military personnel, combat veterans, and individuals through difficult life situations. I work with clients to address anxiety, depression, relational problems, self-esteem, trauma, PTSD, as well as grief and loss. Serving as both therapist and coach, my approach aims to instill hope and increase motivation in order to help clients achieve their goals. Let's navigate the complexities together, fostering healing, resilience, and personal growth. Your journey toward improved mental health and fulfilling relationships begins here.

Navigating life's circumstances and challenges can take up a lot of space in our lives. Maybe you are looking for more spaciousness, more time for yourself, or an extra ear to listen to and fully "get" you. Or perhaps anxiety or depression has become a constant presence, and you desire a change and want more connection. Sharing our experiences with others provides an opportunity to feel understood. In a therapeutic relationship, we explore patterns and coping strategies to better form a picture of how we operate in the world. It can help us identify what is and isn't working towards getting your needs met more fully.

As a therapist/teacher I ask that my clients be willing to grow. Growth can look many ways, but always involves practice. The people who take what they learn in sesh, practice it with insight, vulnerality, openness, and some diligence, they get the brilliance, sometimes very trying, and grace of somatic and relational transformation.

Let’s say it – life can be hard! It takes courage to ask for help and I’m here to help you develop greater self-understanding and cope with your concerns better. Family and relationship problems, microaggressions/discriminations, financial stress, work and academic demands can sometimes feel overwhelming. Unmanaged self-critical thoughts and rejection of our natural emotions make it worse and can lead to depression and excess anxiety. You may find that the coping strategies you’ve used in the past are no longer working for you. Well, I am here to help support your journey towards building the sort of life you want.

I am a psychologist, licensed in NYS and CA, offering teletherapy to residents of both states. I am also a returned Peace Corps volunteer and aspire for cultural humility and sensitivity in my practice. My training background is in child, adolescent, and adult individual and group therapy, as well as in neuropsychology from teaching hospitals: Brown, Harvard, and NYU; I completed my postdoctoral training at Kaiser Permanente Northern California. I use an integrated approach to treatment, incorporating a range of evidence-based therapy and my broad training experience to meet the diversity of presentations of my clients.

Are you feeling disconnected from your partner, struggling to communicate, or having relationship difficulties? Do you want to build better intimacy and emotional closeness in your relationship with your romantic partner? If you are looking to reconnect with your partner, strengthen your bond and intimacy, learn ways to manage conflict better, and enjoy the benefits of a healthy and lasting intimate relationship, then I may be the ideal fit for you! I can teach you evidence-based skills to communicate better and strengthen your relationship.

Qualified to provide individual and family therapy. I have gained an in-depth understanding and passion for relational and family systems, trauma-informed care and experiential interventions. I am an empathic and insightful therapist with a talent for empowering clients towards positive growth. I have a successful history of achievement in academic, training and work experiences. Trained in assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning and providing psychotherapy to adults & adolescents with a wide variety of presenting problems including, depression, anxiety, trauma, dual diagnosis, self esteem, identity, relapse and addiction.

Are you struggling with relationships? Do you need help recovering from a traumatic event? Do you often feel sad and low on energy? Are you searching for ways to be more emotionally stable and less shut down? For over 25 years I have worked with individuals, couples, and families on a range of issues including substance abuse, post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, codependency, couples counseling, pre-martial counseling and more. In a highly personalized and collaborative treatment style, I help people understand the deeper reasons for why difficulties keep repeating over and over.

My ideal client is a person who doesn't want to give up on him/her/themself and the dream of a fulfilling life. I support clients to know the truth: they deserve love and success no matter what wounds they've experienced. I help people uncover the deep wisdom and restorative potential living within them. I do this gently in the present moment by reconnecting clients with healing, embodied emotional experience in safe connection with me. This gets vitality and intuition moving again I support people to take responsibility (but not blame) in any life/work/relationship upset because this is what works!

I have had the honor of working with individuals across the lifespan with a variety of mental health concerns such as trauma, anxiety, depression, life transitions, sexual and gender-identity related issues, family dynamics, and more. I believe that human beings are inherently relational and that we are born to thrive in connection to others and wouldn’t be who we are if not for the people that have come in, and sometimes out, of our lives. Examining these relationships can be a huge part of therapy, whether it’s with our parents, our partners, or with ourselves.

There comes a time when we get tired of feeling stuck in the same old patterns. We suddenly see our lives clearer, realizing we’re no longer satisfied and yearn for change. This dissatisfaction takes on a different flavor for each individual. It can come in the form of a realization of our unfulfilled needs, an exhaustion of performing for others, resentment at having our boundaries crossed far too many times, or a growing bitterness and overall displeasure for life. Perhaps, we’ve tried other modes of healing or even short-term therapy, frustrated at the lack of quick results. Until, the recognition hits us, we must look deeper.

As a psychologist, I believe that establishing a good working relationship with my client is first and foremost. I will support and challenge you to address your concerns, such as relationship difficulties, work-life balance struggles, or chronic anxiety or depression. In order to facilitate a meaningful change, I utilize a holistic/integrated approach when working with my clients. Meaning, I believe that change happens not only when your mind is the focus of treatment and change, but also the body. Therefore, I offer the option of sessions that focuses on the mind-body connection or traditional talk therapy.

Sitting with oneself, whether in individual, couple or family therapy, is not easy and I see my clients as courageous and hopeful for taking this step. Sometimes therapy is healing and transformational, other times it is simply a space to take some deep breaths. Either way, my practice is always client-centered and compassion-based, being present with you in whatever space you are in. My hope in working with me is that you develop a sense of self-compassion and a strength-based lens to view yourself and your relationships through.

Do you feel depressed or anxious due to childhood trauma? Do you feel disconnected in your relationships with others? I’m here to help you develop an action plan for meaningful changes. My approach to therapy is relational and person-centered. I will work alongside you in a warm and understanding environment where you can explore your emotions and find better ways to deal with the stressors in your life.

Relational issues arise when we stop feeling security and trust in our relationships, and feel emotionally disconnected and unable to communicate our needs clearly to one another. As a marriage and family therapist, I am guided by the idea that the more effectively dependent we are on each other, the more independent, courageous and adventurous we become. I also believe that the quality of our relationships can deeply impact our mental and physical wellness in general. Humans are bonding, relational beings who need to feel secure and loved in their close relationships. We need to know that we matter to our loved ones.

What is important in your life? You and those you love are the start and end of this list. When we struggle internally and within our relationships, every part of our life is affected. Our work together gets to the real stuff, where you get to live and love by your values. Together, your concerns and heartaches lessen and you are able to show up as the best version of yourself. It's not to big of an ask to want to live a fulfilling and meaningful life. We can get you there.

As a native of Southern California, I deeply connect with the diverse communities I serve. My passion for advancing the field of Marriage and Family Therapy led me to pursue extensive education and training, culminating in a Doctoral degree. With a strong foundation in research, clinical practice, and business, I founded two impactful ventures in 2023: The Center for Mental Health Excellence (CFMHE), a California non-profit, and The Institute for Relational Well-being, a national practice. These initiatives reflect my unwavering commitment to enhancing mental health services and promoting community well-being.