Substance Use Therapists in 92589

Aloha kākou. My name is Claudia and I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 20 years of experience providing clinical services to individuals and couples. I am licensed as a clinical social worker in the state of California and Hawaii. My years of experience include treating PTSD, depression, anxiety and substance use disorders with various diverse cultures, to include the military population.

Welcome! I think it's wonderful that you are doing your research to find a counselor that will be a good fit for you. I have past experience working with children, teens, and adults in a variety of settings, including residential, outpatient, and a military base. Individuals, couples, and families have utilized my support to assist with concerns of anxiety, depression, transitions, trauma, relationships, and substance use. Currently, I am accepting adult clients for individual teletherapy only.

I was trained in rendering brief and short term therapy since we all want quick results. How do I do that? I am interactive with my clients and not just provide “talk therapy”, but rather, we will co-create a plan together to help you achieve positive results. I hold my clients accountable and will assign homework. I will give you my input, impressions, and at times, challenge you when those defenses are up. In life, when we’re faced with challenges, it only promotes growth and strength. At the same time, we will give you the positive regard, reflective listening, and be your cheerleader. We will empower you, not enable you.

I specialize in men’s issues. I've always felt pushed to be a "lone-wolf" and culture told me to "be a man" or "get over it" when it came to my emotions. As men, when we have a problem we deal with it on our own, often by using pornography, drinking, playing video games, or searching elsewhere for affection. We lie, we defend, we run. We constantly look for peace and acceptance, even if it’s temporary or fake. It can feel hard to trust those closest to us and we may think, “No one is going to take care of my needs but me” or "if they really knew me, they wouldn't love me."

Coping on your own can feel like a lonely and hopeless walk. My primary focus is to build a relationship and accompany you on the stretch to a more connected and fulfilling path. Let's move together as we discuss trauma, depression, dissociation, or self-esteem, using an approach that is individual to you.

Have you been feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or low? Are you losing hope or encountering challenging relationships with others (friends, family, partner, or co-parent)? Contemplating whether or not therapy can help? Let me be the first to say, this is your moment to do something different in your life. Everyone needs a little help sometimes. I believe you are capable of change and attaining happiness. This may mean gaining security in asking for what you need, asserting boundaries with your partner/co-parent, or making a decision to walk away from a significant part in your life that is no longer serving you a purpose.

It may have started out as a nagging feeling in your gut that something wasn't right, that eventually grew into a blaring reality that something needs to change. I specialize in mental strategies to improve your life, but there is so much more involved to being mentally healthy than positive thinking. I'm experienced working with psychiatrists, school districts, and advocating for the client's needs. I have years of experience helping individuals manage their mental health needs, evaluate effectiveness of medication, or teach natural ways to tap into the brain's resources to improve functioning and wellbeing.

If you want straight to the point, no bullshit, authentic, and kind, I am the therapist for you. I work with the military community, with trauma, addiction, and other stressors that are holding you back from feeling like you are getting the most out of life. People who enjoy working with me are those looking to dig deep, talk about hard topics, be lovingly challenged from time to time, who want to live their lives with emotional freedom, and do all of this in a nonjudgmental space. My patients know that I am not interested in telling you what to do, judging, or coaching you how to live your life.