Currently accepting new clients, my name is Esperanza Applestein, I am a License marriage and family therapist with 25+ years of experience in the mental health field in California. I am a trauma informed clinician with extensive experience supporting individuals navigating anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, attachment issues and life transitions. My style is warm, supportive, and thoughtful, helping clients deepen self understanding, strengthen boundaries and reconnect with themselves and others in healthier ways.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
The first session is a space to slow things down and begin to understand what brings you to therapy. We will talk about your concerns, what you are hoping for and any patterns or experiences that feel important at a pace that feels safe and manageable. I focus on building connections, clarity and emotional safety, while getting a sense of your history, relationships, and strengths. My goal is for you to leave the session feeling heard, grounded, and with a clearer sense of how we might work together.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
My greatest strengths are my ability to quickly understand relational patterns, create emotional safety, and help clients feel genuinely seen and understood, With nearly three decades in the field, I bring both clinical depth and steadiness, allowing clients to explore difficult experiences without feeling rushed, judged, or overwhelmed. I draw from attachment based therapy, trauma informed care and relational interventions tailored to each client's needs. The work is collaborative and paced intentionally to support lasting, meaningful change rather than quick fixes.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I am passionate about helping people who are ready to take their first step in learning how to deal with their emotional pain. I love working with adults who are willing and ready for change. I offer a therapeutic environment were clients feels safe, accepted and empowered to embark on their journey towards healing and personal growth. I use evidence- base practices including mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectic behavioral therapy attachment therapy, behavioral modification and trauma informed therapy.
Attachment-based
I would focus first on establishing a healthy and positive therapeutic alliance with my clients, fostering a secure connection with them. I will help my client explore past relationships, address attachment patterns and developing strategies so my clients could build healthy emotional bonds within their relationships.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Focus on helping my clients learn to recognize their maladaptive thinking patterns and offer techniques so they can implement what is learned in our sessions to modify unhealthy behaviors. I like to work on teaching my clients how to change their negative self talk and their thoughts and patterns as a result of this. My work is collaborative, proactive approach, we use goals, we read books and use workbooks to discuss and process in session.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
I always integrate mindfulness based practices into my sessions to teach about being in the present moment and to become self aware. I like to teach mindfulness techniques so the client learns to observe their thoughts and emotions. I like to teach about the importance of using relaxation techniques for self regulation.
Trauma Informed Care
I like to prioritize creating a safe environment for clients, understanding their impact of trauma on the client's thoughts, feelings and behaviors, validating experiences, being respectful of client's pace. I will use evidence based interventions and techniques such as feeling identification, grounding, relaxation, Psychoeducation on trauma responses, developing coping skills, recognizing triggers, empowerment, narrative writing, client center approach, teaching boundary setting.
Psychodynamic
I normally focus on unresolved conflicts and any early childhood experiences that might be impacting client's current challenges and presenting problems. Explore into how the client manage relationships and underlying emotions. Facilitate personal growth.
3 ratings with written reviews
July 14, 2025
While we've liked her as a person, I don't feel she is helping with our actual issues (couples therapy). She tends to focus on stuff that is not relevant to the specific issue and has not helped us work through our communication. I've often felt that she focuses more on pleasing my husband rather than the reason I am not and how to solve it. Without getting into specifics, our communication has not improved and it's been more than 6 months.
March 13, 2025
very warm and understanding.
February 20, 2025
Gracias me siento mejor le agradesco de corazón