I am a psychotherapist who is particularly drawn to the transformative power of empathy and compassion in the healing journey. As humans we all need some kind of healing and have the capacity to heal. Therapy is all about healing. As a seasoned therapist, I have been trained extensively in EMDR. CBT, ACT, DBT, Mindfulness and numerous other interventions. Compassion, however, is always at the center of my therapy. I tackle a broad spectrum of mental health issues ranging from relationship conflicts, mood disorders, adverse childhood experiences, trauma, anxiety/depression, woman's issues to challenges related to career, education and learning disabilities. I have three California Teaching credentials including a credential in special education. My compassion and expertise fuel my practice.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
The first session is where they explain to me what they expect to get out of therapy and their goals for therapy. I ask questions so that I can make accurate diagnosis and help them set goals for therapy.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
I tend to bond very quickly with my patients because they come to understand almost immediately that I genuinely care about them and this is more than a job for me.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
My dream client values therapy and he/she/they are willing to make changes in his/her/their life in order to see progress. My dream client understands that therapy can be hard work, but it is worth it.
EMDR
I am a certified EMDR specialist with EMDRIA - International Association of EMDR. I utilized this treatment to help patients get past their past and move forward with their lives.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT includes schema therapy, ACT and DBT. All of these interventions enable patients to address current thoughts or triggers from the past that might be impacting their current emotions and behaviors.
Compassion Focused
I invite patients to offer compassion to themselves via the compassionate kindness meditation or other means and help them recognize the brokenness in others and offer compassion to others. I emphasize the benefits of compassionate living.
Eclectic
I am always willing and able to incorporate a person's faith into therapy.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I love ACT and use lots of metaphors from ACT. I also incorporate the ACT hexagon model for psychological flexibility including: Contact with the Present Moment; Values; Committed Action; Self as Context; Defusion and Acceptance.
2 ratings with written reviews
July 1, 2025
Desiree is awesome. She is warm and authentic while also presenting tangible solutions in the form of coping skills and tools.
May 13, 2025
Desiree made feel comfortable to open up. She’s direct and comes across as a very warm person and can be humorous at times.