2 therapists in California matching your needs

Hello, I was born and raised in Stockton, California. I enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps at the age of 17 and in 1997, after 25 yeas of service, I retired from the Marine Corps as a Master Sergeant. After retiring from the Marine Corps, I worked as a Farrier (Horseshoer), as well as a structural welder (Ironworker), as those were the most marketable skill that I had. I came to a point where old injuries came back to haunt me and I could no longer walk (several years later, thanks to a surgery through the VA, I can walk again; thankful for that). At this point, I changed professions and out of a desire to work with veterans, I returned to school, accomplishing all that was necessary to become a licensed counselor. I spent another career working for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, specifically as a counselor in the Readjustment Counseling Service (Vet Center). I recently retired from the Vet Center and now I work part-time here with Grow Therapy. As a retired Marine senior staff Non-Commissioned Officer (SNCO) and disabled combat veteran myself, the Vet Center was the perfect job. Vet Centers provide readjustment counseling to combat veterans and provide counseling to survivors of military sexual trauma (MST). Vet Centers also provide group counseling, bereavement counseling and couples counseling when this is determined to be of support to the veteran. Readjustment counseling many times consists of treating/addressing symptoms related to post-traumatic stress (PTSD), I.e., anxiety, depression, exaggerated startle response, hypervigilance, sleep disturbance, etc. Many veterans go on to work as first responders and working with many first responders as well as medical personal, has provided me with a great deal of additional experience.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of California. I have served our community since 2012 by assisting adults, children, and couples with varying life experiences in gaining clarity, perspective, and resolution. The world can be a stressful place at times, and having a safe, trustworthy, and supportive therapist can help ease our stress as we navigate the challenges of life. I have found throughout my life that people express feeling comfortable sharing their thoughts, emotions, distress, and highs of life with me. My professional experiences include serving children and adults with anxiety, depression, ADHD, grief, gender and sexual orientation-related stressors (LBGTQIA+), eating disorders, body dysmorphia, childhood onset trauma, sexual abuse, developmental delays, severe mental illness, criminogenic behaviors (also while incarcerated), military Veterans and their families, survivors and aggressors of Intimate Partner Violence, and anger management difficulties. I openly embrace people of all various backgrounds and beliefs. I believe that our world is only enriched by these differences that make us unique individuals, and we can all contribute to making this world a better place by practicing kindness to all, starting with being kind to ourselves.