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Mariko Ghanem, LMFT - California Therapist at Grow Therapy

Mariko Ghanem

Mariko Ghanem

(she/her)

LMFT
3 years of experience
Virtual

My name is Mariko Ghanem and I'm a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Associate Professional Clinical Counselor. I am naturally curious and love to learn which has lead me to pursuing certifications as a Domestic Violence Advocate, Emergency Medical Technician and Dialectical Behavior Therapist. I truly care for all my clients and go above and beyond to help them find the answers they seek. My approach to therapy is strengths-based and multi-faceted. I believe that providing effective treatment requires both technical expertise and creativity that allows a customized and flexible approach to each client. I draw on concepts from existential, humanistic, systems and behavior theories. My therapy techniques focus on empowering people to find meaning and purpose in their lives, make authentic choices to foster personal growth and to become more liberated, self-aware and secure in their understanding of themselves and the world. I foster a place for clients to express themselves freely and be met with compassion. I believe that there is more going right with a person than wrong. We work together finding and exploring the strengths and supports that you already have as you work on the issues that brought you to therapy.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

During our first session, we will discuss what therapy means to you and how I can best support you in reaching your goals utilizing my extensive education and training on the mind, behavior and what it means to be human. I recognize each client has a deeply personal world of existence within them, and at every session I will provide for you a space of empathy, transparency and support to invite me into your personal world. We will encounter each other as genuine human beings and co-create a space filled with trust, safety, authenticity and mutual respect.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

My lifelong curiosity and introspection has guided my journey toward becoming a therapist. I have always been deeply interested in understanding human nature, how different experiences influence personality and life trajectories, and why our thoughts contain so much power over how we perceive the world. Through my own personal and transformative experience in therapy, I know what it’s like being on the other side, taking a risk and trusting someone with vulnerable parts of yourself. My passion is to assist others in overcoming challenges, improving their mental health, and achieving personal growth.

About Mariko Ghanem

Identifies as

Specializes in

Serves ages

Licensed in

Accepts

Appointments

Virtual

My treatment methods

Dialectical Behavior (DBT)

DBT helps clients to develop healthier coping mechanisms to improve their relationships, manage emotions, and cope with challenging situations. DBT works on understanding emotions, increasing distress tolerance, improving interpersonal relationships and being present in the moment to gain insight. DBT can be especially helpful for people who have challenges in their relationships, such as frequent conflicts or difficulty maintaining connections.

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

Emotionally-focused therapy (EFT) is a short-term therapy that can help clients identify, understand, and regulate their emotions. EFT is based on attachment theory, which emphasizes the importance of connection with others for comfort and safety. EFT can help clients improve their well-being and relationships, and can be especially useful for couples.

Acceptance and commitment (ACT)

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT therapy) is a type of mindful psychotherapy that helps you stay focused on the present moment and accept thoughts and feelings without judgment. It aims to help you move forward through difficult emotions so you can put your energy into healing instead of dwelling on the negative.

Cognitive Processing (CPT)

CPT helps patients evaluate and change upsetting thoughts they may have had since the trauma, such as self-blaming thoughts or thoughts that they shouldn't have been there. Patients learn to challenge these thoughts and take a new perspective, which can help them create a new understanding of the traumatic event and reduce its negative effects on their current lives.

Couples Counseling

The therapist's goal is to teach a method of communicating that allows couples to resolve their own issues during and after therapy. Couples counselling can help to resolve arguing, rows, and other unhealthy relationship dynamics. Couples counselling can help with a loss of sexual contact or intimacy within a relationship. Couples counselling can help couples work through acute crises or unexpected conflicts.