Therapists in California

Hello! I’m Sandra V. Chávez, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Registered Psychological Assistant with the California Board of Psychology. I’m passionate about helping individuals grow both personally and emotionally through client-centered, solution-focused, and cognitive behavioral therapies. As a first-generation Latina, I learned ambition, tenacity, and determination from my parents. My educational journey includes dual bachelor’s degrees in Liberal Arts and Sciences and Psychology, as well as a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology. I’m currently on the path to becoming a licensed psychologist. Before entering the mental health field, I worked as a nurse and briefly attended medical school in Southern California. That experience deepened my interest in understanding the brain, human development, and the impact of environmental factors on behavior. I specialize in supporting clients through mood disorders, life transitions, and self-empowerment challenges. My strengths lie in helping individuals develop emotional intelligence, identify, and understand their emotions. I believe therapy should be tailored to each person’s unique needs, which is why I use an integrative, eclectic approach that draws from evidence-based methods and holistic practices, including mindfulness and positive psychology. I also enjoy working with individuals who incorporate their faith into their mental health journey. For those open to incorporating their faith as a tool for healing, I create a safe, welcoming space where spirituality and therapy work hand in hand. Above all, I value building a strong, trusting therapeutic relationship. My goal is to offer a non-judgmental environment where your thoughts and emotions are respected and where real progress can be made. Together, we’ll explore strategies, assignments, and tools that help you overcome life’s hurdles and achieve lasting personal growth and fulfillment. Let’s begin this journey together!

Welcome, freedom and light await! Wherever you are, your journey starts now. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) that sees clients in California and Arizona. I received my Masters from San Diego State University. I have been working in mental health for the past 17 years and have been licensed for the past 8 years. I have clinical experience in a variety of settings and with a wide range of issues including depression, anxiety, grief, and trauma.

Brannon La Force, a Mobile, Alabama native, is a mental health professional with 35 years in the field. He holds licenses in Alabama, California, Florida, Kansas, Oregon, and Texas as professional counselor. He completed a BA in History from Asbury University, and a MS in Counseling from the University of South Alabama. He is a PhD doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology with Walden University. He is the Owner and Senior Clinician with Brannon La Force, LPC-S & Associates, PLLC and currently lives and works abroad as a digital nomad. Mr. La Force is also an Adjunct Professor at Southern New Hampshire University where he teaches forensic psychology. In addition to owning a private practice, he has worked in community mental health, a forensic hospital, hospital emergency rooms, and inpatient psychiatric units. While the bulk of his work has been in the US, Mr. La Force has also written behavior plans for intellectually disadvantaged adults in Australia, treated genocide survivors in Rwanda, and supported sailors in the US Navy with their mental health needs on the island kingdom of Bahrain. His areas of expertise include trauma, relationships, and borderline personality disorder. He is an avid proponent of Dialectical Behavior Therapy and runs a DBT group. He also supervises associate counselors in Texas and Kansas and precepts psychiatric nurse practitioners nationwide for their psychotherapy rotation. Mr. La Force has three adult children, two of which are also counselors. He is an avid Crimson Tide fan, loves seafood and provides support to Village Health Team in western Uganda.

Hi! I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in California, and I've been practicing for the last 4 years. I have a deep passion for helping individuals shift their mindset and take the necessary steps to discover and pursue their true destiny. My work centers around guiding clients through personal transformation, empowering them to overcome obstacles and navigate life's challenges with clarity, confidence, and purpose. I believe in supporting clients as they unlock their potential and create meaningful change in their lives.

I’m Maria J Gonzales, Bilingual therapist (English and Spanish). Reflecting on your life takes courage and bravery. Seeking help can be scary and confusing, but it's an important step towards improvement. I create a safe and welcoming environment that allows clients to explore obstacles with concerns related to anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, life stressors and/or self-care. I focus on helping clients develop assertive communication & boundaries with themselves and those around them that can help improve their quality of life. Counseling can foster personal development in whatever way you may be seeking and help build the life you so deeply deserve. When you are ready to share, I am available.

Hi, I’m Charles Yin, I work with men and women who struggle with depression, anxiety, and self-sabotaging patterns. This prevents them from feeling connected to themselves and others and from reaching their full potential. I firmly believe everyone can live a meaningful and fulfilling life. After working with clients for over 16 years, I understand the difficulties of finding your path in life and use my expertise to help you overcome these challenges. How do I help you? There are 3 key ingredients: I utilize Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which helps you become friends with your difficult thoughts and feelings and make wise choices even when it's hard. I help you connect deeply with the real you and develop a sense of belonging with others. I help you get out of your mind and into your life and develop skills to unhook from difficult thoughts and feelings, stay present and do what matters.

Hello. my name is Diane Gibbs and i have been a licensed clinical social worker since 2008. I have worked inpatient and outpatient mental health. I am Rogerian trained, which means i have awareness of my boundaries and the clts boundaries. I am clt centered, being aware of my transference in the therapy relationship; often using the transference for clt growth. I am humanistic, which means any one of us can experience disturbance of mood, thought, or emotion; simply because we are human. As a clt centered therapist my role is to hold a mirror up as to allow the clt to witness their experience and offer reccomendations for tx plan. Also, empowering the clt to connect and use their strengths; support, spirituality or agnostic beliefs. I have used various modality interventions including meditation, visualization, and exposure acclimation. I have worked with 5 yo to 80+ yr old. My experience is broad, from post partum to end of life issues and many life stages in between. Whether its anxiety or depression. From bipolar to ocd or schizophrenia; i work at creating a safe environment where boundaries are clear and the clt feels free to discuss their issues in safety and privacy.

Hello, My name is Tsegamlak (Tsega) Worku, and I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over two decades of experience. Since 2001, I have dedicated my career to assisting couples, families, and individuals in navigating and overcoming relationship challenges. My practice encompasses diagnosing and treating a wide range of relationship issues. I offer expert counseling services for couples, adults, young adults, families in conflict and those facing parenting-related concerns.

I'm so proud of you for taking the first step in you're therapeutic journey! This takes a lot of courage and bravery, characteristics you'll need along your therapeutic journey. I'm Aaron, and I'm licensed marriage and family therapist, and I'm here to help people grow in emotional maturity through learning the art of self-compassion and developing a positive mindset. When you start strengthening your emotional maturity, you can begin to face the future with more confidence, peace and hope.

Hi there, I am Christine. I have been honored to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds struggling with challenging issues for many years. I base my understanding how people function and heal in human physiology and Christian practices. People experience adverse events differently, impacting them emotionally, physically, and spiritually. These experiences are often not understood verbally by the person, that is why it is important for me to help individuals understand the healing process. Change from a Christian perspective is very practical and personal, while taking into account what might remain unknown on the nonverbal level. In therapy, I utilize a Christian perspective, where the whole person, mind, body, soul, and spirit are valued and addressed according to a biblical interpretation. The mind, body, and spirit are all connected, and the spiritual component is essential to complete wholeness and restoration. I believe the Bible is the infallible and inspired word of God and is relevant to all areas of life. I believe it is vital to utilize evidence based therapeutic approaches while incorporating scripture as we take a closer look at all areas of your life. The integration of Christian teaching in therapy with individuals who desire this type of intervention helps them gain a sense of hope for life in Jesus Christ. In my therapeutic approach, I value the positive benefits of faith-based interventions enabling individuals to connect their mental health treatment with their faith creating a more holistic approach to treatment and personal growth. I am here to help; you do not have to figure this out alone.

Hi! Welcome to Grow! I am a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor & hold a Masters of Science in Counseling Psychology from Hope International University. My academic curriculum specialized in: family systems, biopsychosocial thought, psychodynamic approaches, and person centered interventions. Therapeutically, I specialize in substance abuse counseling/addiction, as I am also certified as a substance use counselor and have worked in substance abuse treatment as a residential treatment technician before becoming a therapist. Further, I specialize in working with kids & adolescents who struggle with emotional defiance/conduct disorders & developmental disabilities. Further, I have experience in dual diagnosis treatment and exploring grief/loss issues. My style to therapy comes from a Rogerian, CBT, and Humanistic approach and embracing the “entire self”. My passion in being a therapist is to see and embrace progress, meeting people where they are at, being present during “aha” moments, and serve altruistically. Outside of being a therapist, I enjoy participating in ministry work, being active in recreational sports, volunteering as a crisis counselor & hospice volunteer. Some of my past work experience has included: working in special education as a substitute teacher, in the public-school sector as a tutor/instructional assistant, and as an in-home behavior interventionist working with kids who have developmental disabilities.

Hello! My name is Nicole Chess and I have a masters in sport psychology and I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I have a Master's sport psychology degree from John F. Kennedy University and I have a Masters in marriage and family therapy. I also have a B.A. in Business with a specialization in management information systems from San Jose State University, which I played on the number #1 golf team for many years and was in the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association). I have a passion for helping individuals transform their lives and dreams into bigger and better ones. I will collaborate with you so we come up with a plan to implement practical ways to make them come true! I specialize in cognitive behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy plus hypnotherapy. I can incorporate these inside therapy so that you can improve outside of therapy and in your daily life. My clients usually see improvement in as little as 3 to 4 sessions. I have worked with lawyers, pilots, pro athletes, techies, and people from all faiths and all walks of life. I also have half of two doctorate degrees I have not completed in transpersonal psychology from Sophia University and half of a doctorate in clinical psychology from San Diego University of Integrative Studies.

Hello to all! I'm a Licensed Professional Counsellor (LPC) based in Michigan, but with licenses in California, Texas, Michigan, Idaho, Delaware, and Montana. I received my Masters from Wayne State University and have been practicing for 20+ years. I work with clients who may be struggling with depression, anxiety, and trauma related to relationship or family issues. During our initial sessions, we will focus on goals that are measurable, achievable, positive, and specific to your situation. We will focus on identifying common thinking issues and ultimately working towards adaptive thinking strategies.