Hi! I'm a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in California. I received my Master's Degree from Brandman University in Monterey, CA and have been practicing for the last 6 years. I help individuals with trauma, addiction, and feelings of anxiety, stress, hopelessness and depression with learning the coping skills necessary for the healing to truly begin. I will be with you on that journey of healing and the path to finding your authentic self, gaining confidence and contentment both internally and externally.
In our first session, we will start with brief introductions and review of informed consent. We will discuss your reasons for seeking therapy, what has or has not been helpful in the past, and what you hope to get from therapy or your goals. This will assist us in collaborating on your personal treatment plan that we will use as a guide to help you reach those goals.
In the past 6 years, I have worked with many different populations, and the one thing that most populations have in common is some form of trauma, dysregulated emotions and thoughts, and challenges with healthy coping skills. I feel that all of these commonalities have helped me to gain deeper access to my client's unmet needs and desires and their difficulty opening up painful memories and experiences. I have an understanding of challenges related to one's "wounded inner child" and how to do the deeper work for complete full-body healing.
I love working with teens, young adults and adults who are managing difficult life transitions such as college, career, family, etc. I help them find their voice, power and strength to gain a solid foothold in life. They are goal-oriented, but don't have the tools and skills to manage difficult thoughts, feelings, emotions, and events. They often feel stuck, lose motivation and feel hopeless toward their futures.
Stephanie Sanders offers therapy covered by Central California Alliance for Health (Medi-Cal), Gold Coast Health Plan (Medi-Cal), Health Plan of San Joaquin - Medi-Cal, L.A. Care Health Plan (Medi-Cal), Orange County Mental Health Plan (Medi-Cal), Partnership HealthPlan of California (Medi-Cal) and San Francisco Health Plan (Medi-Cal) in California.
With this method we can explore how past experiences can affect our future. We explore past relationships, childhood, traumas and positive experiences to assist the client in gaining insight into current challenges and ways to begin the healing process.
I utilize this method for clients who are struggling to manage their day to day thoughts, feelings and actions. We will explore cognitive distortions, challenge core beliefs, build mindfulness skills, and create safety for trauma work.
I utilize this method with clients dealing with all trauma by establishing safety, identifying and managing difficult feelings, identifying and managing triggers, identifying and managing mal-adaptive coping skills, mindfulness and body awareness training, etc.
I utilize with clients managing challenges related to addiction or personality disorders.
I utilize this method for clients who have challenges understanding their thoughts, feelings and emotions. Also to externalize and explore reasons they are experiencing these particular thoughts, feelings and emotions.