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Renee H. Tunkel
Nathan Taylor
Hello, my name is Alex and I’m a licensed marriage and family therapist in California and I have been providing treatment for 16 years in mental health. I have provided therapy for adults, children, families, couples, and support groups. Some of the areas related to mental health that I have addressed are depression, anxiety, trauma, grief and loss, domestic violence, parenting problems, and I work with fathers struggling to parent their children as a result of historical trauma. I provide reflective practice technique allowing for my clients to be heard and feel that they are not being judged. The techniques I use in therapy are a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy, internal family systems, client-centered, and solution focused.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In our first session there will be some anxiety, and for me too. But what I’m trying to establish is rapport, making sure I’m actively listening to you intently. This is the session where I gather the important information and if I just listen, you just might open up in that first session. Trust is established. I have life’s experience and along with my past and continuing education, I am able to provide empathy and a safe space which are essential components for clients to open up and explore their internalized emotions. When one is able to feel one’s emotional pain, the therapeutic process is enhanced allowing for the client to identify their problems and explore solutions to move forward in life.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
Most of my life I've been told I'm a "people person." My grandmother told me I'm going to be a priest. I told my grandmother, "I’m not even an altar boy." But I think what really did it for me, although I did not know it at the time, I have a very high EQ. I leaned this from my mother and grandmother. I realized I have the ability to genuinely empathize for others. So, I decided to go to school at the young age of 49. I remember sharing my story with the school director Dr. Ringenbach at an open house at Chapman University and after sharing with her my story with her she told me. "You know Alex, social work is not for you. You would be a great therapist.” I replied, “You mean six years of school, not four?” So here I am today and I’m so glad I took her advice. I genuinely enjoy helping others as best I can.
About Alex Gallegos
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VirtualMy treatment methods
Person-centered (Rogerian)
I use Person-Centered Therapy during all my sessions and have been utilizing the technique for 14 yrs. The main concept gained by this technique is empathy and the therapeutic rapport necessary to understand my client to enhance successful treatment. Person-Center Therapy allows the client to go the places in their life that they feel are important to them, not the therapist. It allows the client to reach their fullest potential, control your life rather than following the direction of others, and increased comfort with others.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use CBT as my main therapeutic modality in therapy as I have 16 yrs. experience facilitating this technique. I first implemented the tech with children experiencing trauma (Trauma Focused Therapy) not being able to trust others and developing uncontrolled emotions and impulsive behavior as a result of their trauma. Then when I moved to providing therapy for adults with trauma, the same concept is facilitated allowing clients to better identify their historical trauma causing irrational behaviors and negative symptoms (anger, anxiety, depression). I'm able to help my clients identify their hidden internal thoughts exacerbating irritational behaviors by identifying their irrational thoughts and replacing them with more realistic/optimistic thoughts reducing negative behaviors.
Gottman method
I have been facilitating the Gottman Method for 7 yrs. Not only do I have the educational training, but I as many others have experienced divorce and marriage allowing for genuine understanding and empathy. I understand the importance of developing a friendship within a relationship as it enhances passion, intimacy, and conflict resolution. This method allows the couple to communicate with each other openly moving forward with their futures.
Grief Therapy
Grief Therapy is a complex technique if the therapist has not experienced genuine loss. The reason why I mention one must experience loss to understand it, it's because before I lost someone close to me, I thought I understood it because I was trained on loss/grief. That was not the case. I am now able to genuinely empathize with my clients building trust and rapport. The emotions are erratic and unexplainable at times for the client. By the way, loss is not only in the form of losing a loved one; it also applies to loss of a home, a job, a pet, childhood, divorce, relationship, etc. Understanding loss is what the client struggles with almost daily trying to move forward causing depression in most cases. I will hopefully help my clients find "meaning'' in hopes of living with their loss productively.
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Alex Gallegos is fully booked, but don't worry
We've found 1247 other providers who could be a great match