Hello, I’m so glad you're here! My name is Marilyn and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker based in Southern California. I specialize in treating complex trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Through my extensive practice, I have developed a profound understanding of the nuanced challenges associated with these conditions. In my work, I am committed to breaking down barriers and destigmatizing mental health services, ensuring that individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions feel empowered to seek the support they deserve.
In our first session, we’ll begin with brief introductions before exploring the specific challenges you’re experiencing. Our sessions will be a space where you can build the skills and insight needed to heal from trauma and rediscover your potential for personal growth and happiness.
With an authentic and empathetic approach, I provide individual counseling, family therapy, and tailored support for first responders. I create a safe and supportive space to help my clients navigate trauma, anxiety, depression, and relationship challenges. My goal is to empower clients to uncover their strengths, foster growth, and reach their fullest potential in every area of life.
In our work together, I’m committed to creating a safe, nonjudgmental space where you can address the obstacles that have been holding you back. Whether you’re seeking support for anxiety, depression, healing from trauma, or relationship challenges, we’ll focus on understanding how trauma affects both your physical and emotional well-being. By exploring the mind-body connection, we’ll work on releasing stored responses to trauma, developing adaptive coping skills, and building essential tools like assertive communication and healthy boundaries, all to help you achieve a more balanced and fulfilling life.
In my practice, I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients gain insight into how their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are interconnected. My approach emphasizes on the mind-body connection, guiding clients to recognize how their somatic responses (like tension, restlessness, or other bodily sensations) are often learned reactions to environmental stressors/ triggers. Together, we will work together to reshape your responses, moving toward healthier ways of coping with stress and fostering a greater sense of self-regulation and resilience.
In my practice, I use attachment-based theory to help clients understand how early relationship experiences shape their current behaviors and emotional responses. By exploring these attachment patterns, clients become more aware of unhealthy cycles and gain insight into the origins of these behaviors. Together, we will work to break these cycles and focus on fostering healthy connections.
In my practice, I use Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) to provide a compassionate and safe environment for clients to process and heal from trauma. With a structured yet supportive approach, clients gradually confront and reframe traumatic memories while simultaneously learning effective coping skills to reduce trauma-related distress. This process will empower clients to break free from trauma’s hold and will enable clients to achieve healthier lives.