Licensed to practice in California and accepts 50 insurances. Specializes in Anxiety, Child or Adolescent, Trauma and PTSD and 4 more.
Hi, I'm Steven, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker based in Pasadena, California. I work with adolescents and adults navigating anxiety, trauma, relationship difficulties, and major life transitions. Many of my clients come to therapy feeling overwhelmed, disconnected from themselves, or caught in patterns that no longer seem to work. I believe meaningful change begins with understanding our stories, emotions, and relationships. Whether you're recovering from difficult experiences, navigating a challenging relationship, struggling with self-doubt, or feeling stuck in patterns that keep repeating, therapy can offer a space to pause, reflect, and better understand what's happening beneath the surface. I offer a warm, collaborative, and nonjudgmental space where we can slow things down and make sense of what you're experiencing. Together, we'll explore the emotions, experiences, and relationship patterns that may be contributing to your struggles, helping you feel more grounded, emotionally steady, and connected to yourself and the people who matter most.
In our first session, I’ll invite you to begin telling your story in whatever way feels most natural. I approach this time with genuine curiosity—not to rush or to fix things, but to understand you. We’ll explore what’s been weighing on you, what feels stuck, and what you want to be different. We’ll also begin to make sense of the patterns underneath—how your experiences have shaped your relationships, your emotional world, and your sense of self. Most importantly, you’ll have space to feel heard, understood, and supported.
Many of my clients share that they feel deeply seen in our sessions. I don’t just focus on what’s going wrong—I’m interested in what your struggles might be trying to communicate. I work especially well with people who feel caught in emotional or relationship patterns they don’t fully understand. Together, we’ll slow things down, uncover what’s beneath the surface, build emotional resilience, and create meaningful, lasting change.
I work with people who feel overwhelmed by their emotions, stuck in painful relationship patterns, or unsure of who they are. You might feel paralyzed by anxiety, constantly overthink your choices, or find yourself repeating the same arguments in your relationships without knowing how to break the cycle. Many of my clients struggle with impulsivity or a deep sense of disconnection—and long to feel truly seen and understood. Together, we explore the roots of these patterns, build emotional resilience, strengthen self-trust, and create more meaningful, fulfilling relationships. I also support parents who feel exhausted, unsure, or overwhelmed in trying to help their child—especially when nothing seems to be working or emotions escalate quickly at home. Through a thoughtful and collaborative approach, I help caregivers better understand their child’s emotional needs, respond with greater clarity and compassion, and feel more confident and grounded in their parenting. Together, we create space for healing, growth, and stronger family relationships.
Cash - $100 per session
Aetna
Aetna - Allied Benefits
Aetna - ASR Health Benefits
Aetna - Lucent Health
Aetna - Luminare
Aetna - Moda
Aetna - WebTPA
Aetna – HealthEZ
All Savers
Amerihealth Administrators
Anthem
Arlo
AvMed
Blue Cross
Blue Shield
Carelon Behavioral Health (Commercial)
Centivo
Cigna
Cigna - HealthEZ
EAP:Cigna
EAP:Evernorth
EAP:UnitedHealthcare/Optum
Evernorth
Gold Coast Health Plan (Medi-Cal)
Golden Rule
GTEB
Harvard Pilgrim/UnitedHealthcare
IHSS Healthy Workers
Independence Administrators
Independence Blue Cross
L.A. Care Covered
L.A. Care Covered Direct
L.A. Care Health Plan (Medi-Cal)
L.A. Care PASC-SEIU
Optum
OptumHealth Complex Medical Conditions
Oscar
Oxford
Partnership HealthPlan of California (Medi-Cal)
San Francisco Health Plan (Medi-Cal)
Scripps Health Plan
Sharp Health Plan
Surest (formerly Bind)
Sutter Health Plan
Tufts Health/Cigna
United Medical Resources
UnitedHealthcare Life Insurance
UnitedHealthcare Shared Services
UnitedHealthcare StudentResources
UnitedHealthcare/Optum
I help you make sense of emotions that feel overwhelming or confusing. My approach focuses on how past experiences shape the way we see ourselves and relate to others. Together, we explore the patterns beneath the surface, often the ones that are hard to name but deeply influence how we feel, act, and connect. Through this process, clients build emotional resilience, self-understanding, and more fulfilling relationships.
I pay close attention to how clients relate to others—and to me—during our work together. I see therapy as a living relationship where we can safely explore patterns that may have been playing out for years. This might include how someone handles closeness, independence, or emotional needs. By noticing these dynamics in real time, we can better understand where they come from and begin to shift them in ways that feel more authentic and connected.