Licensed to practice in California and accepts 10 insurances. Specializes in Anxiety, Grief, Trauma and PTSD and 4 more.
New to Grow
Hi, I'm Paula Whidden, LPCC. You may look like you're managing on the outside while feeling overwhelmed on the inside. Perhaps your mind won't slow down at night, anxiety keeps you on edge, or painful experiences from the past continue to affect your relationships, confidence, or sense of peace. You may feel exhausted from carrying burdens that no one else can see. I help teens and adults who are struggling with anxiety, trauma, stress, and life transitions find healing, hope, and practical tools for lasting change. Together, we'll work to understand what is keeping you stuck, process difficult experiences, and build skills that help you move forward with greater confidence and emotional freedom. My approach is warm, supportive, and goal-oriented. I believe therapy should be a place where you feel heard, respected, and safe enough to explore both your struggles and your strengths. I strive to create an environment where clients can heal without judgment while learning new ways to respond to life's challenges. I am a trauma-focused Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with specialized training in EMDR, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Gottman Method couples work, Prepare/Enrich, and anxiety treatment. These approaches allow me to tailor therapy to each client's unique needs and goals. Over the years, I have helped clients who felt anxious, depressed, fearful, overwhelmed, or emotionally stuck discover new ways of understanding themselves and relating to others. Clients often describe me as calm, compassionate, and encouraging. My goal is not simply to help you manage symptoms but to help you experience greater peace, resilience, and hope for the future. Taking the first step toward therapy can feel difficult, but you don't have to face life's challenges alone. I would be honored to walk alongside you as you pursue healing and growth.
The first session is an opportunity for us to get to know one another and begin building a strong therapeutic relationship. I understand that starting therapy can feel intimidating, so my goal is to create a warm, comfortable environment where you feel heard, respected, and supported. During our initial session, I'll invite you to share what brought you to therapy, the challenges you're currently facing, and any goals you hope to achieve. We'll also discuss important aspects of your personal history, relationships, and life experiences that may be contributing to your concerns. You are always free to share at your own pace. I'll explain how I approach therapy, answer any questions you may have, and work with you to identify priorities for treatment. Together, we'll begin developing a plan tailored to your unique needs and goals. Clients often leave the first session with a greater sense of hope, a clearer understanding of the therapy process, and confidence that they don't have to navigate their struggles alone. My goal is for you to feel understood, supported, and encouraged as we begin working toward meaningful healing and growth.
One of the things that sets my approach apart is that I am an active participant in the therapy process. While I provide a safe space for clients to explore their thoughts and emotions, I don't simply sit back and listen. I engage thoughtfully, offer observations, ask meaningful questions, and work alongside my clients as they pursue healing and growth. Clients often tell me they appreciate that I am perceptive, supportive, and genuinely invested in their progress. My goal is for every client to feel valued, understood, and cared for each time we meet. I strive to create an environment where clients feel comfortable discussing both their struggles and their strengths without fear of judgment. I also seek to be a calm and steady presence, especially for clients who are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or emotionally exhausted. Therapy can be a place to slow down, process difficult experiences, and find clarity amid life's challenges. Although I am trained in EMDR, CBT, DBT, and other evidence-based approaches, I believe that therapy should never feel one-size-fits-all. I tailor each session to the individual sitting in front of me, remaining attentive to their goals, needs, and the direction they feel is most important for their healing journey. For clients who desire it, I am also comfortable integrating Christian faith into the counseling process. Whether faith is a central focus or simply one aspect of your life, I welcome conversations about spirituality and can provide counseling that respects and incorporates your Christian beliefs and values. Above all, I want therapy to be a collaborative experience where you feel supported, encouraged, and empowered to move toward lasting change.
I have helped anxious, stressed, and fearful clients of all ages. Teenagers and adults can feel out of control, stuck, or lost. I am a trauma-informed therapist with training in EMDR and Internal Family Systems. I help people of all ages face and uncover issues from their past and help them look toward their future unafraid. I use various tools to help my clients handle intense feelings and move forward. My clients learn to build the skills needed for relaxation, coping with challenging emotions, and building stronger relationships. Client who like working with me are open to using what we work on each day and building skills for success.
Other specialties
I identify as
EMDR
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is one of the primary approaches I use when working with clients who have experienced trauma, distressing life events, anxiety, or experiences that continue to affect their present-day thoughts, emotions, and relationships. I have received specialized training in EMDR and am currently working toward EMDR certification. Over the past five years, I have incorporated EMDR into my work with hundreds of clients, helping them process painful experiences and reduce the emotional intensity associated with past events. Many clients find that as treatment progresses, memories that once felt overwhelming become less distressing and have less influence on their daily lives. My approach to EMDR is thoughtful, collaborative, and paced according to each client's readiness. Before beginning trauma processing, I focus on building a strong therapeutic relationship and helping clients develop the coping skills and emotional resources needed to feel safe and supported throughout the process. I view EMDR as more than a technique—it's a structured path toward healing that helps many clients move beyond simply managing symptoms and begin experiencing greater freedom, confidence, and peace in their lives. While EMDR can be highly effective, I tailor treatment to each individual and integrate other approaches when appropriate to best support their goals and needs.
Christian Counseling
I also offer Christian counseling for clients who wish to integrate their faith into the therapeutic process. For many people, spirituality is an important source of meaning, strength, and guidance, and I provide a space where those beliefs can be respectfully included in the work we do together. In Christian counseling, I incorporate Biblical values, prayer (when desired by the client), and faith-based reflection alongside evidence-based therapeutic approaches. My goal is never to impose beliefs, but rather to meet clients where they are and support them in a way that aligns with their personal convictions and relationship with God. Many of the clients I work with appreciate having the freedom to openly discuss their faith, doubts, and spiritual questions while also addressing emotional struggles such as anxiety, trauma, grief, or relational challenges. I strive to communicate in a way that is relatable and grounded in both clinical understanding and a Christian worldview. Whether faith is a central focus or simply one part of your life, I aim to provide a compassionate, respectful environment where you can explore healing in a way that feels authentic to who you are and what you believe.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the primary approaches I use to help clients reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress while building practical tools they can use in everyday life. In CBT, I take an educational and collaborative approach. I work with clients to understand how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are connected, and how patterns in thinking can often intensify distress or keep people feeling stuck. By becoming more aware of these patterns, clients are able to make meaningful shifts in how they respond to difficult situations. I actively teach evidence-based CBT tools and strategies that clients can practice both in and outside of sessions. This often includes identifying unhelpful thought patterns, learning how to reframe or challenge them, and developing healthier coping responses. I also encourage ongoing reflection so clients can better understand how changes in one area—thoughts, feelings, or behaviors—can positively influence the others. Between sessions, I often provide simple, practical “homework” assignments to support continued growth and skill-building. These exercises are designed to reinforce what we work on in session and help clients apply new tools in real-life situations.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an approach I find especially helpful for clients who experience intense or overwhelming emotions that can feel difficult to manage in the moment. These emotions may lead to feeling out of control, stuck in painful cycles, or unsure of how to respond to life’s challenges in a way that feels effective and grounded. In DBT, I work with clients to build practical life skills that support emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and healthier relationships. Rather than focusing only on understanding emotions, DBT emphasizes learning what to do with those emotions in real time—especially during moments of stress, conflict, or overwhelm. I take an educational and supportive approach, teaching clients concrete skills they can use in their daily lives. This may include strategies for calming the nervous system, increasing awareness of emotions without being overwhelmed by them, improving communication in relationships, and learning how to tolerate distress without making situations worse. My goal is to help clients feel more capable and confident in handling life’s ups and downs. Over time, DBT skills can support greater emotional stability, improved relationships, and a stronger sense of control and resilience in daily life.
Gottman method
In my work with couples, I use the Gottman Method to help partners strengthen their friendship, improve communication, and rebuild trust in their relationship. This approach is based on decades of research into what makes relationships succeed or struggle, and it provides practical, structured tools couples can use to create lasting change. When working with couples, I help partners slow down negative interaction patterns and begin to understand what is happening beneath the surface during conflict. Many couples find that what feels like “communication problems” are often deeper cycles of disconnection, misunderstanding, or unmet emotional needs. Together, we work to identify these patterns and replace them with healthier ways of engaging. I also focus on helping couples increase appreciation, respect, and emotional connection in everyday life. This includes strengthening friendship, improving repair after conflict, and rebuilding trust where it has been damaged. Couples are given concrete skills to practice both in and outside of sessions so they can apply what they learn in real time at home. My role is to guide couples in a calm, structured, and supportive way as they learn to communicate more effectively and reconnect emotionally. The goal is not only to reduce conflict, but to help partners build a stronger, more stable, and more affectionate relationship over time.