Licensed to practice in California. Specializes in Anxiety, Couples Counseling, Depression and 10 more.
New to Grow
I began practicing as a therapist and psychologist in 2012 after graduating from the Higher School of Psychology in Moscow, Russia. Since then, I have had the privilege of working with diverse clients across different clinical settings and cultural environments. After relocating to the United States, I chose to continue my professional path as a Marriage and Family Therapist, bringing with me approximately 12 years of experience supporting individuals, couples, and families through emotional, relational, and life-transition challenges. Before entering the mental health field, I spent more than 30 years working as a legal professional in consulting, corporate law, and finance. While these professions may seem quite different, both have deepened my understanding of people, relationships, decision-making, conflict, resilience, and the many ways life circumstances can shape our experiences. Working across different professional, family, organizational, and cultural systems has given me a broad perspective on the challenges people face and the strengths they draw upon to adapt, grow, and find meaning in their lives. Altogether, my professional experience spans nearly four decades across different countries, cultures, populations, and work environments. This diverse background enriches my work as a therapist and allows me to bring a thoughtful, practical, and culturally sensitive perspective to the therapeutic process. I understand that every person's story is unique, and I strive to create a space where clients feel respected, understood, and supported as they navigate life's challenges and opportunities for growth. Perhaps most importantly, I genuinely value the work I do. Being a mental health professional is more than a career for me—it is a source of purpose, meaning, and connection. I feel grateful for the opportunity to accompany people on their journey toward greater self-understanding, healing, and fulfillment, and I consider it a privilege to be entrusted with that process.
The first session is an opportunity for us to get to know each other and begin building a foundation for our work together. It may feel a little more structured than future sessions, as we will complete an initial evaluation that helps me better understand what brings you to therapy, your current concerns, relevant personal history, and what you hope to gain from the therapeutic process. This conversation helps me develop an initial understanding of your unique circumstances, strengths, challenges, and therapeutic needs, including any diagnosis when clinically appropriate. We will also discuss any questions or concerns you may have and explore how therapy can best support your goals. I will introduce myself, explain my therapeutic approach, and review important aspects of the therapy process, including confidentiality, informed consent, telehealth requirements (if applicable), and practice policies. My goal is to ensure that you have a clear understanding of the process and feel comfortable asking questions at any point. Most importantly, the first session is a chance for us to begin establishing a collaborative and trusting therapeutic relationship. Together, we will start identifying your goals and discussing possible next steps, creating a supportive space for growth, healing, and meaningful change.
One of my greatest strengths as a therapist is my ability to balance empathy with practicality. I strive to create a space where clients feel genuinely heard, understood, and respected, while also helping them move toward meaningful change. Therapy is not only a place for reflection and insight, but also an opportunity to develop new ways of coping, relating, and responding to life's challenges. I value collaboration and view the therapeutic relationship as a partnership. From my side, I bring professional knowledge and experience while recognizing that each client is the expert on their own experiences. Together, we work to identify goals, explore obstacles, build on strengths, and create realistic steps toward growth and healing. Clients often appreciate my warm, nonjudgmental, and direct style. I aim to provide both support and honest feedback, helping clients deepen their self-understanding while remaining focused on practical change. I believe that lasting growth occurs when people feel safe enough to explore difficult experiences and empowered enough to take consistent meaningful action. My goal is to help clients not only better understand themselves, but also develop the confidence, resilience, and tools needed to navigate life's challenges, strengthen relationships, and create a more fulfilling and authentic life.
Many people reach out during times of emotional difficulty, transition, or uncertainty, or when they notice themselves feeling stuck in patterns that are no longer serving them. This may include individuals processing traumatic or overwhelming experiences, navigating major life or career changes, experiencing relationship challenges, or coping with chronic illness and ongoing health-related stress. These experiences can feel isolating or overwhelming, and it is often not easy to carry them alone. In my practice, I offer a supportive and collaborative space where we work together to better understand your experiences and what may be contributing to current challenges. Depending on your needs, we may explore thoughts, emotions, behaviors, relational patterns, and deeper underlying themes, while also building practical coping skills and tools to support daily life. My approach is tailored to each person and may include evidence-based and depth-oriented methods that support greater self-awareness, emotional regulation, resilience, and a stronger sense of direction, stability, and connection. This work is especially supportive for individuals who are open, engaged, and curious about themselves and their personal growth. It is a collaborative process, where we move at your pace and focus on both understanding and change in a way that feels meaningful and sustainable. If you are feeling ready to better understand yourself, create meaningful change, or simply find more support in navigating what you are going through, you are welcome to reach out to begin the process.
Other specialties
I identify as
Integrative
In my practice, I use an integrative approach, tailoring therapeutic interventions to each client’s unique needs, goals, and presenting concerns. I draw from several evidence-based and depth-oriented modalities to support emotional healing, psychological insight, and meaningful change.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients better understand the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Together, we identify patterns that may be contributing to distress and develop practical strategies that support healing, resilience, and personal growth. I strive to create a collaborative and supportive environment where clients feel empowered to build new coping skills and make meaningful changes in their lives. Depending on each client’s needs and goals, I may also integrate mindfulness techniques to foster greater self-awareness, present-moment focus, and emotional regulation. In addition, I use biofeedback to help clients gain insight into how stress and emotional states affect the body. By learning to recognize and regulate physiological responses such as heart rate and breathing, clients can strengthen their ability to manage stress, reduce anxiety, and improve overall well-being. Treatment is individualized, goal-oriented, and designed to support lasting growth and positive change.
Trauma Informed Care
I also work from a trauma-informed framework, integrating Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to support clients in their healing and growth. I strive to create a safe, collaborative, and compassionate environment where clients feel empowered to explore their experiences and build on their strengths. DBT provides practical skills for managing intense emotions, improving distress tolerance, and strengthening interpersonal effectiveness. EFT supports clients in identifying, processing, and deepening emotional experiences, fostering greater self-awareness and more secure relational connections. ACT encourages psychological flexibility by helping clients accept difficult internal experiences while taking meaningful action aligned with their values and goals. Together, these approaches support resilience, emotional regulation, and sustainable change.
Existential
Another important aspect of my work includes an existential therapy perspective, informed by the foundational ideas of Viktor Frankl and the contemporary approach of Alfried Längle. Within this framework, I support clients in exploring meaning, purpose, and personal values, especially during periods of transition, loss, or uncertainty. This approach helps clients reflect on how they relate to their life experiences and reconnect with a deeper sense of authenticity and direction, complementing more skills-based and structured interventions.
Family Therapy
Another important aspect I take into account in both individual and couples therapy is a family systems perspective, recognizing that individuals exist within relational and social systems that significantly shape their emotional and psychological experiences. Within this framework, I explore how family patterns, roles, communication styles, and intergenerational dynamics influence current functioning. In couples therapy, this includes understanding interaction cycles and repetitive relational patterns that contribute to distress. In individual work, it involves examining how early family experiences and broader relational contexts continue to influence attachment, coping strategies, and self-perception. This systems-based lens helps clients develop a more comprehensive understanding of their difficulties and supports more adaptive, connected, and sustainable change in their relationships and wider social world. I also utilize psychodynamic-informed work, in particular Transactional Analysis, developed by Eric Berne. This approach helps clients explore interpersonal patterns, internal “ego states” (Parent, Adult, and Child), and recurring relational dynamics that may be shaping current difficulties. By increasing awareness of these patterns, clients can better understand how past experiences influence present relationships and develop more flexible, authentic, and effective ways of relating to themselves and others. In addition, I draw from the clinical insights of Nancy McWilliams, particularly her emphasis on understanding personality organization, defenses, and attachment patterns in a compassionate and non-pathologizing way. This perspective supports a deeper appreciation of each client’s emotional world and coping strategies, helping to make sense of longstanding relational themes while fostering greater self-understanding, integration, and lasting change.