LMFT, 33 years of experience
Welcome on your search for a therapist. I love being a part of your experience, and I have spent my life training for and providing deep participation in improving the quality of life for my clients. Having been a teacher of psychology for years at Antioch University, Los Angeles, I will provide a full spectrum of theory and tools to use for your new life choices and design. I have had a private practice since 1990, and have seen the inspiring efforts that clients make, often in the face of great difficulty, to wrestle with their problems of living. I participated in a Theoretical Philosophical specialty for my Doctoral program at USC, and also have a lot of experience in a happy bi-racial marriage. Imagination and curiosity often guide you to a new answer, offering choices and changes that with work finally feel, truly authentic. Leah Matson has a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology from USC. She is a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist practicing personal counseling for individuals and couples / families in Santa Monica, CA. She also practices Neurofeedback. Leah specializes in relationship enhancement, PTSD, problem solving, creative living, artistic blocks and working in the entertainment industry. She is a college teacher of psychology and creative process at Antioch University in Los Angeles and taught for several years at Esalen.
I wrote a paragraph about how a client might feel during a session in a short story, which I quote here : "As Alex acknowledges a longing to reconnect with that creative part of himself, Dr. Parker validates the complexity of his feelings and affirms the importance of honoring that inner voice. By the end of the session, Alex feels seen, understood, and cautiously hopeful—like he's just taken the first step toward reclaiming a sense of purpose and authenticity." Quite a tall order, definitely idealistic in its dramatic portrayal, but it is a portrayal of what the relationship can begin as.
I have had years of therapy as a client and seen clients as a therapist. I have also been trained in a wide variety of creative arts, such as dance, theatre, music, poetry and creative writing. The wide range of sites that I have enjoyed working at include: private practice in Santa Monica since 1990, CPC vista Del Mar Hospital, Kedren Community Mental Health, Samra Clinic of Oriental Medicine, Esalen Institute, and taught a variety of CEU courses for psychotherapy.
Adults of all ages, creative blocks, problems of living, couples, individuals, professionals, parents....
I have been a professor of Psychology for years at Antioch University, so I am deeply versed in the theories of personality and treatment methods, thus I give eclectically from all my knowledge of people, what the client appears to know. I specialized in Theoretical, Philosophical Psychology for my Ph.D.
3 ratings with written reviews
August 16, 2025
Thank you for taking the time to hear me out.
June 10, 2025
Dr Leah is generously kind and empathetic; helped me feel seen; and helped me to deeply see myself to acknowledge and see where I need to let go of my past trauma, even in a short amount of time. I am sad it didnt work out insurance-wise.
May 5, 2025
Dr. Leah has been kind, warm, and very positive during our sessions. She does have you lead the session a little more than other providers, in the sense that you have to come prepared with what you want to talk about. She will ask some questions but it mainly feels like having a conversation with a friend about how you're feeling or what you think about whatever situation(s) you brought up.