Licensed to practice in California and accepts 26 insurances. Specializes in Anxiety, Depression, Trauma and PTSD and 3 more.
(she/her)
Do you find yourself constantly questioning yourself, overthinking conversations, or wondering why your relationships leave you feeling confused, anxious, or emotionally drained? Maybe you've become so focused on keeping the peace or meeting everyone else's needs that you've lost sight of your own. Many of the adults I work with begin to realize these patterns didn't start overnight. They often developed in childhood or through painful relationships that shaped how they see themselves, trust others, and respond to conflict, stress, and rejection. Even when you know something isn't healthy, changing those patterns can feel incredibly difficult. As a bilingual (English-Spanish) Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 25 years of experience, I help adults move beyond simply managing symptoms. Together, we'll explore the deeper patterns driving your anxiety, depression, self-doubt, or relationship struggles while building practical tools to help you feel more grounded, confident, and connected to yourself. My goal is to help you better understand your experiences, strengthen your sense of self, and create healthier, more fulfilling relationships.
Starting therapy can feel like a big step. You may be wondering where to begin, whether you'll have to talk about painful experiences right away, or if you'll finally feel understood. My goal in our first session is to help you feel comfortable, not overwhelmed. We'll spend time getting to know each other and understanding what's been bringing you to therapy. We'll explore what's happening in your life right now, the challenges you're facing, and what you hope will be different. If past experiences are important to understanding your concerns, we'll discuss them at a pace that feels right for you. There's no expectation that you share everything in the first session. I'll also explain how I work, answer any questions you have, and together we'll begin identifying patterns that may be contributing to your current struggles. We'll discuss what you hope to achieve in therapy and develop an initial plan tailored to your goals. Many clients tell me they leave the first session feeling relieved simply because they've been able to talk openly without feeling judged, pressured, or dismissed. My hope is that you'll leave with a better understanding of what's contributing to your struggles, a sense of hope that change is possible, and confidence that you don't have to navigate it alone. Therapy isn't about fixing you—because you're not broken. It's about helping you better understand yourself, heal from experiences that continue to affect you, and build healthier relationships with yourself and others. I'll meet you where you are and we'll move at a pace that feels safe and manageable.
I bring a strong foundation of multicultural competence to my work, grounded in years of experience supporting individuals from diverse cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. I deeply understand how identity, migration, family dynamics, and cultural expectations shape our emotional world—and I hold space for all of it with respect and sensitivity. Over the years, I have worked extensively with clients navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and adjustment difficulties. Whether you’re coping with the aftermath of complex trauma, struggling to manage overwhelming emotions, or trying to find your footing during a major life transition, I approach each session with warmth, insight, and a deep commitment to your healing journey.
My ideal clients are adults who look like they're holding it all together on the outside but feel overwhelmed, emotionally exhausted, or disconnected on the inside. They often struggle with anxiety, depression, or relationship difficulties and find themselves repeating painful patterns they don't fully understand. Many are constantly overthinking, questioning themselves, putting others' needs first, or feeling responsible for everyone else's happiness while neglecting their own. Many have experienced difficult relationships with parents, partners, or other important people in their lives. They may have grown up feeling unheard, criticized, or emotionally unsupported, or have been in relationships that left them doubting themselves. Even after those experiences are over, they continue to affect their confidence, boundaries, and ability to trust themselves and others. The clients I work with are often tired of simply getting through each day. They want to understand why they feel the way they do, break free from old patterns, develop healthier relationships, and feel more confident making decisions that align with their values. They are motivated to gain insight, heal from the past, and create meaningful, lasting change rather than just manage symptoms.
Aetna
Aetna - Allied Benefits
Aetna - ASR Health Benefits
Aetna - Lucent Health
Aetna - Luminare
Aetna - Medicare
Aetna - Moda
Aetna - WebTPA
Aetna – HealthEZ
All Savers
AvMed
Carelon Behavioral Health (Commercial)
Golden Rule
Harvard Pilgrim/UnitedHealthcare
IHSS Healthy Workers
Optum
OptumHealth Complex Medical Conditions
Oscar
Oxford
Surest (formerly Bind)
Sutter Health Plan
United Medical Resources
UnitedHealthcare Life Insurance
UnitedHealthcare Shared Services
UnitedHealthcare StudentResources
UnitedHealthcare/Optum
Many of the struggles we experience as adults—difficulty trusting others, fear of abandonment, people pleasing, unhealthy relationship patterns, or feeling like you're never enough—can be rooted in early attachment experiences. Attachment-based therapy helps us understand how those early relationships continue to influence the way you see yourself, connect with others, and respond to conflict, rejection, and stress. In therapy, we'll identify these patterns with curiosity rather than judgment. Together, we'll work to heal the underlying wounds, strengthen your sense of self, and help you build healthier relationships where you feel more secure, confident, and connected. My goal is not only to help you feel better, but to help you understand why these patterns developed so you can create lasting change.
Trauma can affect far more than memories. It can shape how you respond to relationships, trust others, regulate emotions, and even how your body reacts to stress. You may find yourself constantly on guard, overthinking, avoiding difficult situations, or feeling disconnected from yourself without fully understanding why. My approach is grounded in creating a safe, collaborative environment where you never feel pressured to talk about experiences before you're ready. We move at a pace that feels manageable while helping you understand how past experiences continue to affect your present. Together, we'll work to reduce the emotional impact of trauma, strengthen your ability to regulate emotions, rebuild trust in yourself, and create healthier patterns that allow you to move forward with greater confidence and peace.
Our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are closely connected. When you've lived through painful or difficult experiences, it's easy to develop patterns of self-doubt, catastrophic thinking, people pleasing, or expecting the worst—even when those patterns are no longer serving you. Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), we'll identify the unhelpful thoughts and behaviors that keep you feeling stuck and replace them with healthier, more balanced ways of responding. Rather than simply teaching positive thinking, I use CBT alongside deeper exploration of the experiences that shaped these patterns, helping you build practical skills while creating lasting change. The goal is for you to feel more confident, emotionally grounded, and better equipped to navigate life's challenges.
Our culture, family, language, and life experiences shape how we see ourselves and relate to others. I approach therapy with curiosity and respect for each client's unique cultural background, values, and experiences. Rather than making assumptions, I invite clients to help me understand what matters to them. Together, we explore how culture, family expectations, identity, and life transitions may influence current struggles while honoring the parts of their background they want to carry forward.
I believe therapy is not only about understanding what is wrong, but also recognizing what has helped you survive, adapt, and keep moving forward. I help clients identify strengths, resilience, and abilities they may have lost sight of during difficult experiences. Together, we build on those strengths to increase confidence, develop healthier coping strategies, and create meaningful changes that feel authentic and sustainable.
5 ratings with written reviews
April 3, 2026
I feel like it's a great fit all around, from the moment i started talking to her. I look forward to start my therapy with her.
July 3, 2025
I feel like Alexandra Bayo truly listens to me. She is caring and compassionate. I have never felt uncomfortable opening up to her. I appreciate my sessions and look forward to them.
June 13, 2025
Muy profesional y comprensible