Melinna Perez
Welcome! I'm Melinna. I'm a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Los Angeles, California. I received my Master's Degree from USC and have been practicing for 13 years. I want to commend you for taking the first step towards bettering your mental health because, let's be honest, starting therapy can be empowering, confusing, or scary, all at the same time. I strive to create a safe and welcoming environment that allows clients to explore obstacles with concerns related to their mental health issues. I focus on helping clients develop coping skills, assertive communication, and boundaries with themselves and those around them, and on gaining the tools to improve their quality of life.
Quiero felicitarlo por dar el primer paso para mejorar su salud mental, porque, seamos honestos, comenzar la terapia puede ser empoderador, confuso o aterrador, todo a la vez.
Therapy can foster personal development in whatever way you seek and help build the life you so deeply deserve. If that's what you're looking for, I'm here when you're ready to share. ¡Bienvenidos! Soy Melinna. Soy una terapeuta matrimonial y familiar con licencia (LMFT) en Los Ángeles, California. Obtuve mi maestría en USC y he ejercido durante 13 años. Quiero felicitarlo por dar el primer paso para mejorar su salud mental, porque, seamos honestos, comenzar la terapia puede ser empoderador, confuso y aterrador, todo a la vez. Me esfuerzo por crear un entorno seguro y acogedor que les permita a los pacientes explorar obstáculos y preocupaciones relacionados con sus problemas de salud mental. Me enfoco en ayudar a los pacientes a desarrollar habilidades de afrontamiento, comunicación asertiva y límites consigo mismos y con quienes los rodean, y a obtener las herramientas necesarias para mejorar su calidad de vida. La terapia puede fomentar el desarrollo personal de cualquier manera en que esté buscando y ayudarlo a construir la vida que tanto merece. Si eso es lo que está buscando, estoy aquí cuando esté listo para compartir.
First session
In our first session together, we'll start with brief introductions and history gathering, and then discuss the specific challenges you're facing. This will help me create a tailored plan for us to work through in follow-up sessions. During this time, you'll also have the opportunity to ask me any questions you might have.
Strengths
My 13 years of experience have taught me to meet clients where they're at, be empathetic and understanding, and gain the skills to help my clients identify and face their challenges so we can work together to make progress.
Ideal clients
Being Mexican-American and growing up in an underserved community, I like to give back and work with underserved populations and the Latinx community, especially those who might be monolingual (Spanish). I also enjoy working with teens and young adults.
Treatment methods
Psychodynamic
I've used this approach for the past 12 years. I use it in practice to help clients focus on unconscious processes as they are manifested in the client's present behavior. The goals of psychodynamic therapy are client self-awareness and understanding of the influence of the past on present behavior. In its brief form, a psychodynamic approach enables the client to examine unresolved conflicts and symptoms that arise from past dysfunctional relationships.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I got certified in DBT 3 years ago. I use DBT in my practice for mental health conditions that help clients learn skills to manage their emotions and cope with life's challenges. DBT sessions include mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal skills, and emotion regulation.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
I've used this approach for the past 12 years. I believe the client is the expert of their life so this approach is a non-directive type of talk therapy where the client is an active participant and I am a guide and support. I use specific techniques to help the client feel understood and gain insights into themselves such as empathic understanding, unconditional positive regard, and congruence.
Psychoeducation
I've been using psychoeducation for the past 12 years. This allows me to help patients and their families understand mental health and mental illness. Psychoeducation can include providing information, teaching coping skills, communication, and identifying resources.
Humanistic
I've used this approach for 12 years. This approach focuses on the whole person, including their positive characteristics and strengths, and helps them explore their feelings, find meaning, and develop a healthy sense of self. Humanistic therapy emphasizes growth and self-actualization over curing diseases or treating disorders. Some of the techniques in this approach include empathy, unconditional positive regard, client-centered therapy, unstructured interviews, and role-playing.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
Top specialties
Other specialties
Serves
Licensed in
- CaliforniaLicense 123816