Welcome! I am Reina Michelle, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in working with adults 18- 49 years old who have depression, anxiety, and mood disorders. Together, we will identify your challenges and goals - where you want your life to be a month, six months, a year from now. Then, we'll identify options and strategies you can use to get there. You'll leave the session with a better understanding of what you're facing feeling more positive and on-track with your life. Mental health problems can hurt many young adults and get in the way of living happier and healthier lives. I have helped people with Bipolar, OCD, and Panic Disorders using CBT, Solution Focused Therapy, Exposure Therapy, Narrative, and DBT among others. These disorders can cause disruptions with partners, family, and friends. Additionally, I teach communication skills to "individuals" to bring better understanding to their relationships. I come to my sessions with the ability to speak freely, honestly, and from the heart in order to develop strong, meaningful connections with my clients. I am licensed with a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology from JFK University in San Jose, CA, in 2010. Life is too precious to put off your happiness and well-being any longer. Helping you to succeed in overcoming mental health challenges and developing healthy communication skills is my goal and I look forward to meeting you.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
In our first session we will discuss the issues that bring you to therapy and discuss your goals in order to find specific treatments. It is important to take a look at one's family history initially to see how it may have led to problems that many people are having today. I offer clients different perspectives in looking at their problems with understanding and the utmost respect for your feelings. I look forward to helping you to resolve your conflicts and move on in your life in a positive and healthy direction.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
I have had training in teaching "mindfulness" skills to bring calmness into the lives of busy people. I am certificated in DBT to help people who have anxiety, depression, and mood disorders. We are not all alike and using a combination of targeted methods can help make a difference in people's lives. My years of experience have taught me to listen carefully to my clients in order to help understand fully the issues that you come to therapy with. For many people it feels scary to begin therapy but that fades quickly as our working relationship builds, creating strong bonds with each other. Good therapy can make a positive difference in your life and help you to feel confident when relating to other people.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I work with "individuals" between the ages of 18-49 years old, finding that people in this age group are open-minded and willing to make positive changes in their lives. I have had success working with men teaching them better ways to express themselves and sustain better relationships at home and with others. I am not practicing marriage counseling at this time, but help individuals to learn communication skills that they can use to improve their marriages and family relationships. It takes practice using these tools and I sometimes give homework assignments in order to make these changes "stick," becoming a natural part of their everyday lives. I work with pioneer John Gottman's evidence-based methods to achieve this goal. He has been helping people for decades to achieve better communication in their relationships. I work with people who have Bipolar and Mood Disorders helping them to take control of their lives. I have found that Mindfulness training, distress tolerance, and emotional regulation skills (DBT) have helped people bring order and a sense of meaning into their lives.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use CBT when it is beneficial for the client. CBT is based on the idea that how we think (cognition), how we feel (emotion) and how we act (behavior) all interact together. Specifically, our thoughts determine our feelings and our behavior. It is useful in helping people with many kinds of problems such as anxiety, depression, and many others.
Attachment-based
I received additional training from my master's program at JFK University in Campbell, CA. to help people with issues resulting from attachment disorder from childhood experiences where there was a lack of connection between parent and child relationships that has caused problems.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
Person-centered therapy also known as Rogerian therapy can assist people in finding solutions to their problems. The therapist is supportive in this model but non-authoritative, and the client takes the lead in each session. The therapist's expertise is secondary to the client's ability to solve their own problems. The therapists job is to collaborate, empathize, and help you to make better choices in your life's decisions. You know yourself better than anyone else does and we are here to support you.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
Solution Focused Brief Therapy is for clients that want to look forward and not back into their history. Clients looking for a quick help method in solving their issues or in conjunction with other methodologies. It can be useful and effective.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
I have worked with people teaching meditation skills that I have learned from studying Zen Buddhism. I have been teaching these skills for years and have had success in treating depression and anxiety.
2 ratings with written reviews
December 5, 2025
Reina is a wonderful therapist and I'm grateful I found her. She's easy to talk to, understanding, and warm. I always look forward to talking with her, and I come away feeling more clear headed and understood as a person. I've seen progress for myself and have much more hope for myself thanks to her. :)
March 1, 2025
It was easy to talk to Reina. I enjoy her style. Kind and empathetic.