Hugo Garcia
Hi! I'm Hugo, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). I received my B.A. in Psychology from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and my Master of Social Work from California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) and have practiced for 7 years in public, non-profit, and private practice settings. I work with English and Spanish-speaking adults experiencing Depression, Anxiety, Trauma, Grief and Stress due to transitions and difficult experiences in life in accepting and integrating the past, enjoying the present and hoping the best for the future.
First session
In our first session together we get to know each other; this allows me to learn what brings you to therapy and what your goals are, and for us to discuss if services could be helpful to you. It also gives you the opportunity to ask any questions so you have a better idea of my therapy and communication style so you can decide if you feel it is a good match for you. Finally, it gives us the opportunity to discuss our treatment plan and logistics for future sessions, in case we find we are a good match and decide to work together in therapy.
Strengths
My greatest strength is my ability to listen non-judgmentally. I am very careful in providing a space in which people feel comfortable, safe, accepted and motivated to honestly express themselves so we can together identify root issues to work on, and to create a practical, realistic, and measurable treatment plan to track our progress.
Ideal clients
I love working with adults experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety, trauma, grief and stress due to difficult experiences and life transitions. The people I work with often feel overwhelmed by difficult situations as well as by the thoughts, feelings or behaviors they are experiencing, but they are willing to share their experiences with a person who listens to them in a non-judgmental manner so they can process these difficult situations and work on making changes in their life so they can reduce their distress, regain hope, be motivated to work on their goals and find harmony, peace and joy in their lives.
Treatment methods
Motivational Interviewing
I have been using Motivational Interviewing in combination with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in my practice for the past seven years. It has helped many people I have worked with to feel safe and comfortable exploring and expressing their perspectives, experiences, thoughts, feelings and behaviors without fearing being judged or criticized for expressing them; this has given them the opportunity and space to work on identifying and challenging patterns that negatively impact their mental health; to learn and develop skills and practices to better manage symptoms; and to identify their strengths and resources so they can use them to increase their resourcefulness, resiliency and hope and to feel empowered to not only manage their mental heath symptoms, but to handle other stressful challenges in their lives. This process has helped many people I have worked with to accept and integrate the past, enjoy the present and hope the best for the future.
Location
Virtual sessions