Hi! I'm Ruth, Licensed Clinical Social Worker #103829 located in Los Angeles, California. I'm grateful for the opportunity to sit alongside individuals going through difficulty moments in their lives and to accompany them while sharing personalized tools to help them reconnect with themselves and listen to their needs. I strive to create a safe space for self-reflection, openness, and radical honesty, which is where change can really happen. A little bit about myself - I'm a proud first generation immigrant, born in Tijuana, MX and raised in the bordering cities of San Diego and Tijuana. I enjoy live music and connecting with nature anytime I have the chance. ¡Hola! Soy Ruth, terapeuta sistémica (LCSW#103829) ubicada en Los Ángeles, California. Agradezco la oportunidad de caminar a lado de personas que atraviesan momentos difíciles en sus vidas y acompañarlas mientras comparto herramientas personalizadas para ayudarles a reconectarse consigo mismxs y escuchar sus necesidades. Me esfuerzo por crear un espacio seguro para la autoreflexión, la apertura y la honestidad radical, que es donde realmente puede ocurrir el verdadero cambio. Un poco sobre mí: soy originaria de Tijuana, B.C, Mexico crecí en las ciudades fronterizas de San Diego y Tijuana. Mis herramientas de recargo y regeneración son el reconectar con la naturaleza y disfrutar de la música en vivo.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In our first session together, we’ll start with brief introduction. I'll inquire about your physical health, sleeping and eating habits and overall social health. I will also ask about prior experiences in therapy, as well as gather pertinent mental health history. This will help me in collaborating with you to create a tailored plan based on your needs. We will then dive into specific challenges you're facing and began exploring your goals to guide the therapy forward.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
My clinical style is both gentle and direct. I believe in providing clients with a safe space to verbalize thoughts and feelings while simultaneously pointing out and challenging maladaptive patterns of thinking that may interfere with their progress to realize their true potential.
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
I love working with young adults or young professionals who are in the first phase of their career. Most of my clients see themselves as high achievers who’ve worked hard to get where they are today. They are often seen as the ones that “have it together” but often struggle with anxiety and feeling overwhelmed. These clients are curious about the person they are becoming and want to explore themselves in a much deeper way beyond their achievements. As a child of immigrant parents, I also enjoy working with adolescents and adults who want to explore how immigration shaped them and their family story, as well as how this story plays out in how they see themselves.
About Ruth Vergara-Callahan
Ruth Vergara-Callahan offers therapy covered by CalViva Health (Medi-Cal), Central California Alliance for Health (Medi-Cal), Community Health Plan of Imperial Valley (Medi-Cal), Gold Coast Health Plan (Medi-Cal), Health Net (Medi-Cal), Health Plan of San Joaquin - Medi-Cal, L.A. Care Health Plan (Medi-Cal), Orange County Mental Health Plan (Medi-Cal), Partnership HealthPlan of California (Medi-Cal) and San Francisco Health Plan (Medi-Cal) in California.
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VirtualMy treatment methods
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I've been using ACT in my practice to assist clients cultivate a more adaptive and flexible mindset that can help them cope with negative thoughts, make meaningful and intentional choices, and create a life that reflects their values and aspirations. Rooted on this, clients often feel more empowered to take action and move towards a richer, more satisfying life.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT is a common framework I use in my work with clients to help them develop insight into how their thought patterns influence their emotions, behavior, and ultimately their lives. I work closely with clients to identify thought distortions and help clients challenge and restructure these thoughts, promoting a more balanced and realistic perspective.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
During therapy sessions, I integrate mindfulness to help increase self compassion, reduce rumination, and foster a greater mind-body connection. I offer guided mindfulness exercises tailored to the client to help promote self-awareness, acceptance, and a present-focused mindset.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I facilitate weekly DBT Skills groups based from Marsha Linehan's four modules - mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. DBT skills can help clients better understand their thoughts and emotions, improve their relationships with self and others, address "all-or-nothing" thinking, and gain strategies to maintain positive thoughts and behavior. DBT skills can help us create a life worth living, and most importantly - a life we don't need to continue escaping from.