Adriana Niizawa
Hi, I’m Adriana, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California with over 16 years of experience helping adults navigate anxiety, stress, trauma, relationship challenges, and major life transitions. My approach is warm, collaborative, and trauma-informed. I work with adults who may feel overwhelmed, disconnected, stuck in familiar patterns, or simply tired of carrying everything on their own. Whether you’re navigating relationship difficulties, family dynamics, work or financial stress, grief, life changes, or experiences from the past that continue to affect you today, therapy can be a place to slow down, understand what’s happening beneath the surface, and begin making meaningful changes.
Many of my clients struggle with anxiety, chronic stress, burnout, overthinking, and perfectionism, especially in high-demand careers or during major life transitions.
I integrate evidence-based approaches with genuine conversation, helping you recognize patterns, challenge unhelpful thoughts, strengthen boundaries, regulate difficult emotions, and develop practical tools you can use outside of therapy. I welcome clients of diverse backgrounds and identities and provide therapy in both English and Spanish. My goal is to offer culturally responsive, individualized care that respects your experiences, values, and the life you want to create. Therapy doesn’t have to mean having everything figured out before you begin. We can start wherever you are and work together from there.
First session
Your first session is an opportunity for us to get to know one another and begin understanding what brings you to therapy at this point in your life. We will talk about what you have been experiencing, why you are seeking support now, and what you hope will be different as a result of therapy. We will also review important information about the therapy process, including confidentiality, its limits, and other legal and ethical responsibilities. I want you to understand what you can expect from therapy and have an opportunity to ask any questions you may have before we move forward. I will ask questions about your current concerns, relevant history, relationships, strengths, and other areas of your life that can help me better understand your experiences. You do not need to tell me everything in the first session. We will move at a pace that allows us to gather the information we need while respecting your comfort and readiness. We will also begin discussing your goals for therapy and what you would like us to focus on together. I will share my initial thoughts about how I may be able to support you and the approaches that may be helpful based on your needs. My goal is for you to leave the first session with a better understanding of the therapy process, a sense of what our work together may look like, and an opportunity to determine whether I feel like the right therapist for you.
Strengths
One of my greatest strengths as a therapist is my ability to build genuine, trusting relationships with clients from diverse backgrounds. I create a space where you can feel heard, understood, and supported, while also helping you look more deeply at patterns that may be keeping you stuck. I believe therapy should offer both compassion and direction, with room for reflection as well as meaningful change. My approach is collaborative and individualized. I work with adults experiencing anxiety, stress, relationship difficulties, trauma, grief, family concerns, and major life transitions. Many of my clients come to therapy recognizing that something is not working but are not always sure why. Together, we explore the thoughts, experiences, relationships, and patterns that may be contributing to what you are experiencing today. I draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, mindfulness, and trauma informed approaches. I help clients recognize unhelpful thought patterns, better understand emotional triggers, strengthen coping skills, establish healthier boundaries, and develop more effective ways of navigating difficult emotions and relationships. I also believe insight is an important part of creating lasting change. We may explore how past experiences, family dynamics, attachment experiences, or familiar relationship patterns continue to influence the present. Understanding where a pattern comes from does not mean you have to continue repeating it. My goal is not to tell you how to live your life, but to help you better understand yourself, recognize your strengths, and feel more confident making choices that align with who you are and what matters to you.
Ideal clients
I work best with adults who are ready to better understand themselves, their relationships, and the patterns that may be keeping them feeling stuck. Many of my clients come to therapy experiencing anxiety, stress, overthinking, relationship difficulties, family concerns, grief, or major life transitions. Others recognize that experiences from their past continue to influence how they respond to situations and relationships today. You may find yourself repeating familiar relationship patterns, struggling to set boundaries, putting the needs of others before your own, or feeling emotionally overwhelmed by situations that seem to activate something deeper. You may understand what you want to change but find yourself unsure of how to actually make that change. I especially enjoy working with clients who are curious about themselves and open to exploring not only what they are experiencing, but also where certain patterns may come from. Together, we can work toward understanding emotional triggers, developing healthier coping strategies, strengthening boundaries, improving relationships, and creating patterns that feel more aligned with the life you want. I welcome adults from diverse cultural backgrounds and recognize the important role that culture, family, identity, relationships, and life experiences can play in mental health. My ideal client does not need to have everything figured out. You simply need to be willing to begin exploring what you would like to understand or change.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients better understand the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. This approach is especially effective for anxiety, stress, overthinking, and negative self-talk. Together, we identify unhelpful thinking patterns such as catastrophizing, perfectionism, or self-criticism, and work to reframe them into more balanced, realistic perspectives. In our work, I also focus on practical strategies you can apply outside of sessions, including coping skills, problem-solving techniques, and behavioral changes that support your goals. CBT is structured and goal-oriented, which helps clients experience relief more quickly while building long-term tools to manage challenges with greater confidence and clarity.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I incorporate Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients develop a healthier relationship with their thoughts and emotions rather than feeling controlled by them. ACT is especially helpful for individuals struggling with anxiety, burnout, and feeling stuck despite “doing everything right.” Instead of trying to eliminate difficult thoughts or feelings, we focus on increasing psychological flexibility by learning how to accept what is outside of your control while taking meaningful action aligned with your values. This may include mindfulness practices, identifying core values, and building awareness of patterns like avoidance or overcontrol. ACT helps clients move from feeling overwhelmed or disconnected to living with greater intention, balance, and purpose, even in the presence of stress.
Culturally Sensitive Therapy
I recognize that your culture, family, identity, values, and life experiences can shape how you understand yourself, relationships, and mental health. I take time to understand your unique background rather than making assumptions about what your experiences mean to you. Together, we can explore how cultural expectations, family roles, relationships, and personal values may influence the challenges you are facing. My goal is to provide a respectful and inclusive space where you can bring your whole self into therapy and feel understood without having to explain or minimize important parts of who you are.
Trauma Informed Care
I use a trauma informed approach to help you understand how past experiences may continue to influence your emotions, relationships, and responses in the present. We may explore patterns, emotional triggers, attachment experiences, and ways you learned to cope or protect yourself. I also help you develop skills to manage difficult emotions and feel more grounded before moving into deeper exploration. You are always encouraged to move at a pace that feels manageable, and you have a voice in what we explore and when. My goal is to help you understand your experiences with greater compassion while developing healthier patterns that support the life and relationships you want today.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
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Serves
Licensed in
- CaliforniaLicense 89887