Licensed to practice in California and accepts 35 insurances. Specializes in Anxiety, Depression, First Responders/Healthcare Workers and 10 more.
Elizabeth (Liz) Santiago
About me
As a compassionate and experienced therapist, I am dedicated to helping individuals navigate life's challenges and achieve personal growth. I've worked with clients from many walks of life and with varied needs including, but not limited to, first responders/medical professionals, educators and people going through life transitions. My areas of expertise are in Behavior Modification, Depression, Anxiety, Grief, Risk Assessment, Trauma and Life Cycle adaptation. I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing and a Humanistic approach to help my clients bring out the best in themselves. I like to use compassion, thoughtful questions, and guided self reflection because I think in counseling we should start wherever you are and work collaboratively as partners in your journey towards a better quality of life. It is not uncommon to have questions about a prospective therapist and best fit. I am open to any questions and it is my hope that we will make a great team and you will become that better version of yourself you're searching for.
Get to know me
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
In our first session following an intake appointment, you can expect to begin to consider what you would like to see different in your life and how you can achieve that. I like to collaborate with you to develop realistic, achievable goals that can be a blueprint for beginning our work together. You can also expect to provide me with information about what struggles or changes in mood you have been experiencing, for how long and how often. I also like to gather information about what kind of therapy style and approach you feel would work best for you.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
My therapeutic approach is very collaborative and strength based. I believe that often times, we have the experience and skills to manage current struggles but haven't had the chance to explore or recognize them. I believe in tailoring my approach to where you are rather than tailoring clients to a specific approach. I also believe that recognizing readiness for change is vital in understanding a starting point for identifying realistic and achievable goals. I work best with individuals over or the age of 18 looking for some guidance and support in making positive life changes.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I believe I work best with clients who like to approach therapy as a collaboration between therapist and client. I have experience helping clients who are struggling with life changes or stressors that are impacting their mood, relationships and overall functioning. I believe in identifying measurable and reasonable goals with clients in order to have a framework for measuring progress and having a clear direction of our work together.
Specialties
Top specialties
Anxiety
Depression
First Responders/Healthcare Workers
Other specialties
ADHD
Anger Management
Chronic Illness
Coping Skills
Grief
Health/Medical Issues
Life Transitions
Mood Disorders
Physical Health Condition
Self Esteem
Identifies as
White
Woman
Serves ages
Adults (18 to 64)
Elders (65 and above)
Licensed in
California
Accepts
Aetna
Aetna - ASR Health Benefits
Aetna - Allied Benefits
Aetna - Luminare
Aetna - Moda
Aetna - WebTPA
Aetna – HealthEZ
Amerihealth Administrators
Amerihealth NJ Medicare Advantage
Arlo
Carelon Behavioral Health (Commercial)
Sutter Health Plan
IHSS Healthy Workers
Cash - $90 per session
Centivo
Central California Alliance for Health (Medi-Cal)
Cigna
Cigna - HealthEZ
EAP:Cigna
EAP:Evernorth
Evernorth
GTEB
Gold Coast Health Plan (Medi-Cal)
Gold Coast Health Plan Total Care Advantage (HMO D-SNP)
Health Plan of San Joaquin/Mountain Valley Health Plan – Medi-Cal
L.A. Care PASC-SEIU
L.A. Care Covered
L.A. Care Covered Direct
L.A. Care Health Plan (Medi-Cal)
L.A. Care Medicare Plus (HMO D-SNP)
Partnership HealthPlan of California (Medi-Cal)
SFHP Care Plus (HMO D-SNP)
San Francisco Health Plan (Medi-Cal)
Santa Clara Family Health Plan - Medi-Cal
Tufts Health/Cigna
Location
Virtual
My treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I have been utilizing CBT for many years particularly in a telehealth platform with good success. I use concepts of that framework to help clients understand the connection between unhelpful thoughts/beliefs, associated feelings and actions. I also help teach adaptive thinking strategies to replace more unhelpful thinking patterns.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Many people view Mindfulness as yoga and meditation. While those are two forms of practicing mindfulness, being mindful in and of itself is so much greater than that. Practicing mindfulness, being present, managing distracting thinking patterns and regulating our nervous systems has found to be highly effective in managing anxiety, trauma, chronic pain and more. I have effectively helped people managing symptoms related to these conditions using Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is especially effective for people who have difficulty managing and regulating their emotions. DBT has proven to be effective for treating and managing a wide range of mental health conditions. It’s important to note that the reason DBT has proved effective for treating these conditions is that each of these conditions is thought to be associated with issues that result from unhealthy or problematic efforts to control intense, negative emotions. Rather than depending on efforts that cause problems for the person, DBT helps people learn healthier ways to cope. DBT has a structured format that teaches mindfulness, emotional regulation strategies, distress tolerance skills and effective interpersonal interaction skills. My experience in utilizing DBT with clients has been quite successful in helping to manage intense emotions and to utilize effective emotional regulation strategies