(she/her)
Hello, my name is Deborah Alfaro. I am a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in the state of California. I have been providing mental health and therapy services to individuals, children and families in a private practice and community clinical setting for more than 10 years and am now working exclusively using telehealth as a great platform to make therapy more accessible for those with busy schedules. I look forward to working with you to help you heal, obtain insight for personal growth, process your emotions and become the best version of you.
Our first session will include a review of any preliminary documents you have provided, a brief review of what therapy is and how we will work together and most of the time discussing why you have come to therapy and what outcomes you would like to achieve. I will listen to your preferences and we will get to know one another to understand how I can best serve your needs.
Life does not come with a handbook for any of us. Sometimes when circumstances or events arise that no one has prepared us for, we simply need someone to listen who gets it. When it feels like everyone else is judging your every move, I will be in your corner to listen, understand and help you feel find the way through.
I work with individuals suffering from stress, anxiety, depression, life changes, grief and loss, trauma, domestic violence and feelings of low self-esteem and self-worth, relationship issues and career counseling. Sometimes you can find yourself repeating the same old relationships, patterns, or situations, and wishing you could break a seeming endless cycle? We can’t always be sure what is causing us distress, but we can sense we're not reaching our potential for health, happiness, or success. Even when we know the cause, change can still feel impossible. That's where I come in. My job is not to judge--it's to listen, help you understand the root causes of your issues, and teach you practical tools so you can change your life. Together, we'll build customized goals and an actionable plan.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I provide an eclectic blend of therapy rooted in Cognitive Behavioral therapy (CBT) which focuses on helping identify negative thought patterns and understanding how they impact your life and how you can improve your awareness and ultimately change your behavior and relationships based on improved awareness. I will interweave a combination of methods best suited and tailored to your needs that includes cognitive behavioral therapy, cognitive processing therapy (trauma-focused), interpersonal therapy (for grief and loss, role and life transitions, and relationship difficulty) and career counseling. I am specially trained in adults who have experienced trauma in childhood.