Therapists in California

All things are interconnected. To feel better, you have to act better. To feel better, you have to think better. To think better, you have to feel better. To act better, you have to think better. To think, feel, and act better, you have to care for your physical health. To care for your physical health, you have to think, feel, and act better. Each has a corresponding effect on the other. However, the aspect of ourselves that we have the most direct control of is what we do, our acting. While we can influence other people, we cannot control other people. A great source of conflict and unhappiness results from our efforts to control others. If you want better relationships, the only thing we can control is what we do, how we choose to relate. We are responsible for what we do. Others are responsible for what they do. Accepting this fundamental reality and thinking, feeling, and acting in accordance with it is how we increase our experience of power, freedom, belonging, meaning and, very importantly, fun. My professional experience includes over 30 years of post-Master’s clinical work, including leadership experience in foster care, chemical abuse and addiction, inpatient and outpatient mental health services, and crisis intervention, de-escalation, and hospitalization. I am experienced in working with ages three through the elderly. I have worked extensively with youth and families, diverse populations and life issues, providing services in various settings, including family homes, schools, juvenile detention facilities, jails, outpatient clinics, and inpatient psychiatric facilities.

I am a licensed therapist with advanced training in anxiety, trauma, relationship issues, and long-standing emotional patterns. I often work with high-functioning clients who appear capable and composed on the outside, yet feel overwhelmed, disconnected, anxious, or stuck in private. My style is warm, thoughtful, and direct. I help clients understand the deeper roots of their struggles while also giving them practical tools to create change in real life. My goal is not only to help you feel better, but to help you feel clearer, stronger, and more in control of your life, relationships, and decisions.

Hi, my name is Evan. For the past 25 years, I have been helping people improve their lives. I help adults struggling with anxiety, depression, relationships, trauma from childhood or events they experienced, substance use, sexual abuse, low self-worth, people-pleasing, LGBTQ+ issues, and many other issues. I'm a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) based in Pennsylvania. I am also a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) to work with people living in California.

Hello, I’m Kim Paylor, a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), school counselor, and clinical supervisor with a diverse background in mental health, education, case management, and student support services. Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with children, teens, adults, veterans, families, and young adults across school, community, and clinical settings. My experience includes working as a school counselor, special education resource teacher, therapist in private practice and telehealth settings, and clinical case manager within the HUD-VASH program supporting veterans. Prior to entering the mental health field, I also spent many years working in customer service, payroll, human resources, and university settings, which has given me a strong understanding of life stressors, workplace challenges, relationships, parenting, and major life transitions. I bring warmth, compassion, authenticity, and real-world understanding into the counseling relationship. I specialize in anxiety, emotional wellness, trauma-informed care, self-esteem, stress management, and helping clients develop healthier coping skills, emotional resilience, and greater confidence in themselves and their lives. My strongest area of focus is supporting adolescents, teens, and adults between the ages of 11–45. My therapeutic style is highly person-centered, supportive, and collaborative. While I use evidence-based therapeutic approaches such as CBT, ACT, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and trauma-informed care, I strive to create a counseling experience that feels approachable, practical, empowering, and genuinely supportive rather than overly clinical or judgmental. I believe therapy works best when clients feel truly heard, valued, and comfortable being themselves. I often incorporate guidance, emotional support, skill-building, and strengths-based strategies to help clients not only process challenges, but also build confidence, self-awareness, resilience, and practical tools they can apply in everyday life. My goal is to create a safe, nonjudgmental environment where clients feel supported, empowered, and encouraged as they work toward healing, balance, and meaningful change.

Hello! My name is Joey Ritkes (he/him) and I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker based in California. I received my Masters from San Jose State University and my PhD from Alliant International University. I primarily support the LGBTQ+ Community, particularly children and adolescents. Although I do work with clients from various backgrounds and identities. I have experience working with individuals, couples, and families.

** I work with anyone residing outside of LA County** Hi, I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and I have been practicing for about 6 years. I graduated from Cal State Long Beach and I help clients become the best versions of themselves. I have experience in working with people who have serious mental health issues and co-occurring disorders, depression, and anxiety. I believe that the client is the expert in their own lives and I am here to assist them achieve their goals in a positive way.

I am honored to have the opportunity to meet you and explore areas of the heart, mind, and soul with you. I have fallen in love with studying "love" since a young age. It occurred to me that life gives us many paradoxes/contradictions such as: "Go through pain in order to heal". Since my awareness opened up to the vast internal world of the human mind, I strive to find the answer. In the combination of my teaching career (online Professor - Psychology, health/human services/Philosophy) and psychotherapy, I was given the gift of a special journey in revealing the invisible components in life - especially our internal world. I have personal and professional experience in diverse areas (gangs, addiction, violence, mood disorders, relationship dynamics, family connection, and many areas within the interpersonal/intrapersonal realm). In addition, I hold a special awareness for cultural sensitivity as well, and the assimilation process onto areas of adaptation and acculturation. I began viewing life with analytical, philosophical, and emotional perception at an early age as life became difficult since I could remember. When I had finally turned my life around and attended college, I was inspired by many individuals. From this, I earned a position with my previous professor as his T.A in stress management. From there, I moved onto graduate school after attaining my Psychology degree. During my Marriage and Family therapy program, I continued to teach. The last year of my studies I was honored to work as an intern at non-profit agency where I delivered therapeutic services to a vast array of different populations: Onsite therapist for a middle school and high school (pre-teens and teens). I also worked with couple's, anger management, domestic violence, family/individual therapy at the main facility. I was then given the chance to work as an online professor at Ashford University after completing my Master's degree, where I continued to do so until this day. After graduation I moved onto working with children with Autism Spectrum disorder (minority population) for over a year. Finally, I traveled into the work on dual diagnosis/addiction, where I started as a part-time therapist and moved towards becoming the primary therapist, and then the clinical director for the whole facility. From my journey, I have been given the privilege to uphold a vast array of experiences, even to the extent of online gaming addiction. My main focus now lies in areas of emotional conn

Congratulations, starting the journey towards seeking help is one of the biggest step. My name is Assaf Jaffe and over the past 20 years it has been my privilege to walk alongside client working to make changes. Having trained in Holistic Therapy at Native American Health Center I have tremendous experience with trauma, anxiety, depression and treating addictive disorders. In these communities I learned the importance of connecting with my clients on a deep interpersonal basis. I also learned that having a variety of effective techniques to reduce symptoms and problems was vitally effective once a solid relation was established. As a strength based Psychologist, I strongly feel I can engage my client in the aspects of their life that are already most successful and utilize these tools to address their current problems. IF you think solution focused individual, couples or family therapy can benefit you currently, I believe I am the ideal therapist for you.

I'm a Bilingual Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, with 19 years of clinical experience, 15 years licensed within private practice. I consider myself to be bicultural. Having been raised as a first-generation American in a Latin family, I can identify with the mentality of someone living within two "worlds". Transitioning from one culture to another with seemingly different values, beliefs and language. I can easily understand the struggle that maintaining, and existing in both, can sometimes be. I've come to perceive and appreciate it as the gift of having a "bridge" that allows connection to, and understanding of, different aspects of people and life. My education has a foundation in Clinical Psychology, woven with holistic transpersonal themes, the connection between mind, body, and spirit, and just plain down-to-earth common sense. Always keeping in mind the client's personal beliefs and values.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 10 years of experience providing psychotherapy to adults from diverse backgrounds and life experiences. I am also a U.S. Army Combat Veteran, and my professional experience includes serving in the Veterans Health Administration, where I supported Veterans navigating mental health concerns, life transitions, relationships, housing instability, and other complex challenges. My experiences as both a clinician and Veteran have strengthened my appreciation for resilience, identity, service, and the many ways our experiences shape how we understand ourselves and relate to others. I earned my Master’s degree in Social Work with an academic focus on Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality. This training informs my commitment to culturally responsive care and helps me recognize how identity, family, relationships, culture, socioeconomic circumstances, and broader systems can influence mental health and well-being. I approach these conversations with cultural humility, curiosity, and respect for each client’s individual experience. My therapeutic style is person-centered, collaborative, and solution-focused. I believe clients are experts on their own lives, and therapy should provide a supportive space to understand patterns better, identify barriers, build on existing strengths, and develop practical strategies for meaningful change. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, I work collaboratively with each client to establish realistic short- and long-term goals that reflect their individual needs, values, and priorities. My goal is to help clients gain greater insight while also developing tools they can apply outside of therapy. Together, we work toward creating meaningful, sustainable change that supports greater resilience, healthier relationships, improved emotional well-being, and a life that feels more aligned with who they are and where they want to go.

Hi there, my name’s Ephraim Tokar. I'm a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with 20+ years of experience. My specialties consist of relationships, men’s issues, career counseling, and psychosomatic illnesses. I received my Bachelors degree in Child Psychology, working initially with the adolescent population before transitioning over to adults. I then received my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. Whether it's individuals or couples, I'm happy to get to work with whomever comes my way. I do my best to facilitate a warm, trusting environment. Looking forward to meeting with you soon!

 Love and work are essential to a meaningful life. Relationships with others define experience and work gives a sense of purpose. Disturbance in these affect well being and contribute to an overwhelmed response leading to collapse. As trauma is relational so is recovery and healing. Having the right therapeutic alliance is a key element and requires, attunement and constistency.  James has over 20 years of clinical experience treating diverse individuals in a variety of settings. As a Mind-Body-Awareness trained therapist, he works with adults having problems with anxiety, depression, trauma, and addiction. In addition to having a graduate degree in Social Work from San Jose State University; he also attended years of practicum training from the following: Certification in Somatic Experiencing from SE Trauma Institute; Sierra Institute for Contemporary Gestalt Training; Professional Training in Hakomi Mindfulness-Based Experiential Psychotherapy Santa Cruz; iRest Integrative Restoration, an evidence informed meditation practice for trauma; Certification in Satyananda Yoga Nidra; and Completion of 500 hours of Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training.