Daniel Janulaitis
I'm a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a Master's in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine. Though my title says "Marriage and Family," my door is open to individuals, couples, and families alike, because pain doesn't always fit neatly into one category, and neither does healing. My clients often arrive having carried their struggles alone for far too long. Maybe it's crushing stress that follows them from morning to night. Maybe it's anxiety that hums beneath the surface, never quite letting them rest. Maybe it's a relationship that once felt like home but now feels like a battlefield. Or maybe there's no name for it at all, just a quiet, persistent sense that something isn't right. I understand that place. I've sat with people in their darkest moments, in psychiatric facilities, in schools, in the quiet corners of their own lives, and I've witnessed both profound suffering and extraordinary resilience. I've learned that healing rarely happens in a single breakthrough. It happens in the steady, patient work of being seen, understood, and challenged to grow. Now in private practice, I offer something different from the quick fixes and surface-level solutions that so often leave people feeling unheard. I offer sustained, meaningful work, the kind that takes time, honesty, and courage. Whether you're navigating anxiety, stress, relationship wounds, or simply feeling stuck, I'm here to walk alongside you. Not to rush you. Not to judge you. But to help you find your way back to yourself, one honest conversation at a time.
First session
Your first session is your space to share your story, your reasons for seeking therapy, and whatever feels important to you, all at your own pace. There's no pressure to have answers or to have it all figured out. I offer a warm, safe environment where vulnerability and honest dialogue are welcome. I'll listen closely to your challenges, and together we'll begin setting meaningful goals. You'll leave with a rough game plan for how we'll collaboratively tackle what you're facing, and, my hope is, a renewed sense of hope that things can get better.
Strengths
I bring flexibility, honesty, and a genuine commitment to meeting you where you are. My training spans a range of therapeutic approaches and settings, so I don’t rely on a one-size-fits-all method; I tailor my work to you. My style is active, warm, collaborative, direct, and engaged. I don’t just nod and take notes. I listen when it’s needed, and I speak when it’s needed too. I ask thoughtful questions, offer candid observations, and gently challenge you when it serves your growth. Real change doesn’t happen on autopilot. You are the expert on your life; I bring the clinical tools. Together, we’ll find what works. Therapy is a partnership, not a lecture. Whether you’re seeking clarity, healing, or a new direction, I adapt to your needs rather than forcing a framework onto your life. I shape my approach around who you are and what you’re facing. I practice integratively, drawing on different methods and working with you to determine what’s most effective. I’ll hold space for your vulnerability, listen closely to your challenges, and offer a warm, safe environment for honest dialogue. I’ll also offer steady accountability when you’re ready to move beyond old patterns. Your first session is your space to share your story and your reasons for therapy, at your pace, with no pressure to have answers. Together, we’ll set meaningful goals, and you’ll leave with a path forward. If this resonates, I’d be honored to hear from you.
Ideal clients
My ideal client is willing to try. By simply seeking out therapy, you've already taken the hardest step, and that willingness, that courage to show up, is often where real change begins. I work best with people who are ready to be genuine, vulnerable, and open to letting the process unfold, even when it feels uncomfortable or uncertain. I know that's not easy. But my approach is to meet you where you're at, discover which tools work best for you, practice them together, and build new ones as new challenges arise. Whether you're a young adult trying to find your footing or someone navigating anxiety, stress, or a quiet sense that something isn't right, I'm here for the person who's tired of carrying it alone and ready to do the work. You don't need to have it all figured out. You need to be willing to begin.
Treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
My approach also draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), though I try to keep it grounded and practical rather than clinical. At its core, CBT is about the connection between what you think, how you feel, and what you do. When those three get tangled up in unhelpful patterns, life starts to feel stuck. CBT helps us untangle them. A lot of us walk around with automatic thoughts we barely notice. A friend doesn't text back, and immediately we think they're mad at us. We make a mistake at work,k and suddenly we're convinced we're a failure. Those thoughts show up fast, and they feel like facts. But they're not always true, and they're not always helpful. In our sessions, I'll help you slow that process down. We'll get curious about what you're telling yourself, where those messages come from, and whether they're actually serving you. Then we'll practice testing them against reality instead of just accepting them. From there, we look at what you do with those thoughts. Maybe you avoid situations that make you anxious. Maybe you withdraw when you're hurt. Maybe you cope in ways that feel good in the moment but make things worse in the long term. Together, we'll identify those patterns and experiment with small changes. Not overnight overhauls, but real, doable shifts. You'll practice new ways of responding, both in session and in your daily life, and we'll build on whatever starts to work. CBT fits naturally into the collaborative work we do together. I bring the tools; you bring your life. We practice what works, adjust what doesn't, and keep building as new challenges come up. You'll know it's working when you start catching those automatic thoughts before they catch you, when old triggers lose some of their grip, and when your actions start lining up with the life you want to live. That is not a quick fix. That is sustained, meaningful change.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
My approach also draws from Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT. At its core, DBT is about holding two truths at once: accepting where you are right now and recognizing that change is still possible. That tension, between acceptance and growth, is where a lot of real healing happens. A lot of us were never taught how to handle intense emotions. Maybe you grew up in an environment where feelings weren't talked about, or where expressing them only made things worse. So you learned to cope the best you could. Maybe you shut down. Maybe you explode. Maybe you reach for something that numbs the pain temporarily but leaves you feeling worse later. DBT helps us slow that moment down and build real skills for getting through it without making things worse. A big part of our work together will focus on distress regulation. That means learning practical techniques to steady yourself when emotions spike, when panic rises, when everything feels like too much. We will practice tools you can use in the moment, not just in theory. Breathing techniques that calm your nervous system. Grounding exercises that bring you back to the present when your mind is spinning. Ways to interrupt the spiral before it takes over. These are not abstract concepts. They are concrete skills you can reach for when you need them most. We will also build a toolbox of self-soothing practices. Everyone is different, so we will find what actually works for you. Maybe it is something physical, like taking a walk or stretching. Maybe it is sensory, like music, a warm shower, or a comforting smell. Maybe it is simply learning to speak to yourself the way you would speak to a friend in pain. The goal is to have options ready before the crisis hits, so you are not scrambling to figure it out in the middle of the storm. Over time, these tools become second nature, and you start to trust yourself to handle hard moments. DBT also emphasizes balance. Many of us swing between extremes: all or nothing, perfect or failure, hold everything in or let it all out. We will work on finding the middle path, where you can be honest about your pain while still moving toward the life you want. It is not about suppressing emotions or pretending everything is fine. It is about building a life worth living, one skill at a time. DBT fits naturally into the collaborative work we do together. I bring the tools; you bring your life. We practice what works, adjust what does not, and keep building as new challenges come up. You will know it is working when intense moments start to feel more manageable, when you have go-to strategies for calming yourself instead of spiraling, and when you can accept yourself as you are while still growing into who you want to become. That is not a quick fix. That is sustained, meaningful change.
Motivational Interviewing
My approach also draws from Motivational Interviewing, which is about meeting you where you are and helping you find your own reasons for change, rather than pushing mine onto you. I believe you are the expert on your life. My job is not to tell you what to do or drag you toward a goal you have not chosen for yourself. My job is to help you get clear on what you actually want and what is getting in the way. A lot of us know what we should do. We know we should exercise more, drink less, leave the relationship, ask for help, set a boundary. But knowing and doing are two different things. Sometimes we are stuck between wanting to change and wanting to stay the same, and that ambivalence can keep us paralyzed for years. In our sessions, I will not lecture you or shame you into action. Instead, I will ask thoughtful questions, listen closely, and help you hear yourself think. Often, the answers are already inside you. They need room to surface. Motivational Interviewing is also about rolling with resistance. If I push, you will likely push back. That is human nature. So instead of creating a tug-of-war, I will stay curious and nonjudgmental. If you are not ready to change something, we will explore that together without pressure. If you are ready, we will build on that momentum. Either way, you stay in the driver's seat. I am not here to force a destination. I am here to help you figure out where you want to go and what steps feel right for you. This approach fits naturally into the collaborative work we do together. I bring the tools; you bring your life. We practice what works, adjust what does not, and keep building as new challenges come up. You will know it is working when you start hearing your own reasons for change more clearly, when the push and pull inside you starts to settle, and when your actions begin to line up with what you actually care about. That is not a quick fix. That is sustained, meaningful change.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
Top specialties
Other specialties
Serves
Licensed in
- CaliforniaLicense 134423