Eden Sarreal
Hello! I’m a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) with over six years of experience supporting children, adolescents, adults, and families through a variety of mental health challenges and life transitions. Before becoming a therapist, I also worked directly in healthcare, an experience that shaped my understanding of the importance of empathy, compassion, and meeting people where they are. I grew up in Southern California and am a first-generation Filipino American. My background has helped me appreciate the importance of culture, family, identity, and the different experiences that shape who we are. I’m naturally curious and genuinely enjoy learning about different cultures, especially through their food and languages. Outside of work, I enjoy cooking and trying new recipes, traveling, attending concerts, and spending time with my husband and senior dog (She's a Pomeranian). I believe curiosity is an important part of both life and therapy—it allows us to slow down, ask questions, and better understand ourselves and others.
First session
Your first session is a chance for us to get to know each other and talk about what brings you to therapy, what you’ve been experiencing, and what you hope to gain from our work together. We’ll also explore your background, strengths, and previous experiences with mental health to better understand the bigger picture. You don’t need to have everything figured out or know exactly what to say. We’ll take it at your pace and work together to identify goals that feel meaningful and realistic. My hope is that you leave feeling heard, understood, and comfortable taking the next step.
Strengths
My approach is warm, genuine, curious, and nonjudgmental. I take time to understand your story and the experiences that have shaped you, while recognizing that growth often begins with learning to better understand and accept yourself. My background has allowed me to understand people from many perspectives. Before becoming a therapist, I worked as a direct healthcare worker, where I experienced firsthand the demands of caring for others. I understand how emotionally and physically exhausting this work can be, including burnout, compassion fatigue, and constantly putting others’ needs before your own. These experiences have given me a deeper appreciation for boundaries, self-care, and having a space where you can make yourself a priority, too. I also have experience working in substance use treatment in both residential and outpatient settings. This work taught me that change is rarely simple or linear. There can be difficult days, unexpected turns, and moments when progress feels hard to see, but I believe there is always room for hope and a new beginning. I believe therapy is not one-size-fits-all. I work collaboratively with each client to understand what matters to them, what they hope to change, and what feels realistic at their own pace. My goal is to create a space where you can be honest without fear of judgment, explore parts of yourself that may be difficult to face, and recognize that you don't have to navigate everything alone. Sometimes therapy is about finding your way through a difficult season, or about learning to be kinder to yourself. Sometimes it's simply about making it through the day and remembering that tomorrow can be different. Importantly, you don't have to have everything figured out before coming to therapy. You can come as you are, and we can figure things out together.
Ideal clients
My ideal clients are individuals who may be feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure of how to navigate what they are experiencing and are looking for a therapist who will genuinely listen and meet them where they are. I enjoy working with clients who are curious about themselves and open to exploring the experiences, relationships, and patterns that may be impacting their lives. I work well with clients navigating anxiety, ADHD, life transitions, family or relationship challenges, substance use, burnout, and the pressures that come with caring for others while sometimes putting their own needs aside. I especially value working with people who may have felt misunderstood or judged in the past and want a therapeutic space where they can feel accepted and comfortable being themselves. You don't need to know exactly what you want from therapy or have everything figured out before we begin. Whether you're looking for practical coping strategies, a better understanding of yourself, or simply a space to process what you're going through, we can work together to find what feels meaningful and manageable for you.
Treatment methods
Motivational Interviewing
I incorporate Motivational Interviewing into my practice to better understand where you are in the process of change and to help explore your readiness for growth. Rather than telling you what to do, this approach allows us to have open, collaborative conversations about your goals, values, and any ambivalence you may have about making changes. Together, we will identify practical strategies that align with your needs and assess how willing and prepared you feel to implement them. I believe lasting change happens when it is self-directed and meaningful to you, and I will support you at a pace that feels realistic while encouraging progress toward your goals.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients understand the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and how these patterns may impact their overall well-being. When working with anxiety, we explore the thoughts and beliefs that may contribute to worry, stress, or feeling overwhelmed, while developing practical coping strategies to create a greater sense of balance and control. My goal is to help clients gain insight into their experiences, strengthen coping skills, and make meaningful changes that align with their values and personal goals.
Psychodynamic
I incorporate a psychodynamic perspective to help explore how past experiences, relationships, and significant life events may influence current thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and patterns. In working with substance use and anxiety, we may explore underlying factors that have shaped how you cope, relate to others, and navigate challenges. Together, we can examine how early experiences, family dynamics, cultural expectations, and past relationships may contribute to current struggles or patterns that no longer feel helpful. Developing a deeper understanding of these connections can create greater self-awareness, compassion, and insight into your experiences. By exploring both your past and present, we can work toward understanding the root of challenges while identifying healthier ways to cope, build resilience, and create meaningful change that aligns with your values and goals.
Location
Virtual sessions