7 therapists in California matching your needs

Change is stressful and adolescence is a period of enormous change - especially so these days with the pandemic, social media, gender politics, and looming concerns about the future. Many, many teens today feel overwhelmed by pressure. Struggling with depression, anxiety, self-harm, relationship problems, drugs, alcohol and academic problems is common. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that by 2021 49.5% of adolescents in the U.S. had a mental disorder, with females, LGBTQIA, and multiracial individuals at the highest risk. If you are a teen or the parent of a teen in pain and looking for a way forward, I can help. I began work as a counseling psychotherapist in 1994. Since then I've helped many adolescents, adults, couples, and parents ease their suffering and overcome problems such as these. My effectiveness as a helper comes from 1) listening carefully to understand your concerns and experience 2) non-judgementally accepting you as you are 3) knowing that you are the expert on you and planning treatment collaboratively with you to achieve your goals. 4) Providing the tools of skills training and coaching to empower you to heal and thrive For me, it's all about knowing that my clients don't need to be fixed. They need to be understood, accepted, provided with effective tools for solving their problems and trusted to overcome their difficulties in a way that works for them so they can feel better, function better and begin living life as they choose to. My approach is straightforward and built on compassion and evidence-based techniques.

Migdalia Villafane or “Dalia” as she prefers to be called believes that the therapeutic relationship is to assist individuals through therapy, changing the individuals’ lives for the better. Because this relationship is so essential, she believes it is important that she provides a safe, open and non-judgmental atmosphere where an individual can feel at ease. She knows that no single approach is the right one for every individual, so, she utilizes a range of therapeutic approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solutions Focused, Family Systems, as well as mindfulness training. Her educational background includes an MSW from the University of Southern California and she is licensed in the state of California as an LCSW.

Compassionate, open-minded, strength-based care is Leesa’s goal for every client, as she helps you to navigate difficult life stressors and address trauma wounds that can cause symptoms of anxiety, depression, acute or post-traumatic stress, addiction, relational conflict, employment/academic impairment, etc. She uses EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing), Brainspotting, Cognitive Behavioral (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral (DBT) and Family Systems interventions to create an individualized treatment plan that's ideal for you!

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, #135129. I received a Master of Art in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University Los Angeles, where I specialized in Psychology of Trauma. I support individuals, couples, families and group therapy in processing a wide range of issues, including but not limited to, HIV, substance use disorder and various patterns of addiction, intimate partner issues, trauma, both current and past involving families and work environments, depression, self-esteem, anxiety and relationship difficulties.

Areas of Expertise: PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, Psychosomatic Disorders, Addiction, Relational Issues, Stress Management, Family Issues, Couple's Issues, Personal Growth, East/West Psychotherapy, Eating Disorders, Bipolar Disorders and Obsessive Compulsive Disorders. 7 years ago I created Psychosomatic Psychotherapy, a novel and highly effective treatment that integrates mind, body and emotion. This method targets blocked emotion and inflammation. Most Western therapies are essentially mind-oriented, but we are so much more than our thoughts. My approach includes elements of Emotion Focused Therapy, Short Term Psychodynamic Therapy, Somatic Therapy and Zen Buddhism. Psychosomatic Psychotherapy treats all mental health conditions, many chronic medical conditions and is quickly effective at helping people and their problems. We begin by telling our story. We go at a slower pace than usual and we pay special attention to the emotionally important parts of the story, e.g., talking to our mother, worrying about work, conflict in a relationship, etc. Here we pause and direct our attention to our abdomen and ask, “How do/did I feel about this or that or him or her?” Then we wait. We don’t rush to answer the question with our heads, we wait for an answer to slowly arise from our bodies. We are bypassing our intellectual defenses and asking our bodies what’s really going on. When discover our feelings we express them in a full-throated and wholehearted way! Then we just feel (not analyze!) that feeling in our bodies until the feeling dissolves or almost completely dissolves, usually within a few minutes. Last, we scan our bodies for any lingering areas of tightness or tension in places like the stomach, chest, throat, head, jaw, neck, or face. When we discover where we’re holding stress and somaticized emotions, we feel these areas until the tension/tightness/emotion dissolves, usually within a few minutes. Developing a greater capacity to feel also provides critical and deeper insight into our issues. The overall goal is to unblock emotions and reduce dangerous inflammation by metabolizing and processing emotions and somatic constrictions in the body. Along the way, we are also challenging old, disempowering stories and replacing them with more accurate, empowering narratives. When treatment integrates the cognitive, emotional, and somatic dimensions of our conditions, mental and physical symptoms are significantly reduced.

Hi there and great job on taking that first step in considering if therapy is right for you. I invite you to come with me on a journey of your own choosing where we will walk together in darkness to find the light you’ve been seeking. Whether it’s life’s little annoying stressors or more complex issues, as a trauma survivor myself, I know firsthand what this is like and wouldn’t wish it on anyone. Whether you choose me or another therapist, make the choice to just give it a try. Sometimes all you need is another person to hold the light while you do the work you need to heal.

Hello, my name is Jennifer. I have experience dealing with various issues. My past experience includes but is not limited to depression, anxiety, trauma, and grief. I focus on client centered goals to help you achieve what you are looking for. Together, we can work towards finding the best possible way for you to better your situation. Whether you're dealing with a specific problem or ongoing issues, I'm here to help. In focusing on what you want and need, this allows you to take control of your therapy and use this time to heal and grow. Deciding on therapy is a great step towards working towards your needs. Some of the modalities I have experience in are, but not limited to, cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, solution focused therapy, and mindfulness. I look forward to meeting you.