Find a Therapist in Ladera Heights, California.

Thinking outside the box: New insights and self-empowerment for lasting change. With extensive experience as a supervising psychotherapist and project contractor, I have worked with government agencies (CDC, INS, City of New York), NYC hospitals, nonprofits, and the private sector. As a cited resource in books and articles, I have presented numerous times on psychodynamic therapy and treated adolescents and families in both inpatient and outpatient settings. By integrating self-empowerment tools with state-of-the-art, evidence-based treatment, I help individuals open new pathways to break habits, solve problems, or resolve conflicts, fostering lasting personal growth and wellness.

I am a psychodynamic trained therapist. Psychodynamic psychotherapy is a form of depth psychology and is similar to psychoanalysis. It is also known as insight-oriented therapy and focuses on unconscious processes as they are manifested in a person’s present behavior. The goals are for a client to become self-aware and understand the influence of their past on their present behaviors. The psychodynamic approach enables the client to examine unresolved conflicts and symptoms that arise from past dysfunctional relationships.

Most of us don’t think about our mental health until we have a disorder or a serious problem that impacts us negatively. Many of us have learned communication, coping skills, and parenting skills from our caregivers which have not always been positive or helpful. Through our life experiences we develop good or bad habits, a positive or negative world view, effective or poor communication skills, healthy or unhealthy coping skills. Therapy by a professional can teach you new skills and behaviors to improve your relationships, increase your satisfaction and happiness, and improve your overall well being.

Meetings typically feel like engaging conversations where together we take on a problem (or a set of problems) that has been affecting your life in a way that is not what you want. Over the course of these conversations, you might expect to gain a better sense of where you stand and how you want to proceed, based on your skills, your resourcefulness, and what is truly important to you.

If your young adult is feeling isolated and alone, I can help them explore the circumstances that have led them to this place in their life. Sometimes healing is derived from simply gaining understanding of how their life experiences have impacted them and shaped who they are. I can help your young adult examine how their early childhood experiences have influenced the lens through which they currently view the world. I can also help them evaluate any rules they made up about the meaning of life. Together, we can design a new and more fulfilling story for their future.

The fact that you are considering psychotherapy shows that you are taking a powerful and courageous step towards enriching your life. I specialize in providing psychotherapy in an empathic, stimulating, and collaborative environment that will help you heal, grow, and find fulfillment in your life. Together we will explore your unique personal circumstances and come to understand how these circumstances have effected and continue to effect your life. Ultimately, we will explore your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors so that you can heal and grow.

I truly believe psychotherapy provides a healing, transforming relationship that will ultimately empower you to make long-lasting life changes. One main goal in my personal therapeutic approach is to fundamentally change the struggle you likely have with your thoughts and feelings, so you can be free to experience a better quality of life. I tend to utilize a variety of therapeutic frameworks to conceptualize and fit your specific needs, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Interpersonal Neurobiology, Relational Therapy, Family Systems, and Psychodynamic Therapy.

Abby provides comprehensive psychotherapy for individuals, couples, and families seeking deeper understanding, healing, and growth. Her integrative, trauma-informed approach blends psychodynamic, relational, and evidence-based modalities tailored to each client’s unique needs. Whether addressing anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, or life transitions, Abby creates a safe, collaborative space where clients can explore their experiences, strengthen emotional resilience, and develop lasting change. Her work is grounded in empathy, clinical expertise, and a deep respect for each person’s journey.

I believe that psychotherapy is helpful to help clients who are experiencing a wide variety of issues. I employ a blend of cognitive behavior therapy and psychodynamic therapy to help clients start feeling better quickly while giving them time and space to work on deeper issues. This approach can help you in making progress with anything from anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship issues, self-esteem, panic, and more. My approach is collaborative, supportive, and direct. We will work together to determine your goals and tailor a plan to reach them. Let me help guide you towards feeling your best self.

Are you interested in getting relief and finding solutions? Would you like to feel good about your life and relationships? I use empirical research and science across multiple disciplines to show clients just like you how you can get real-world, tangible, time-tested, and long-lasting, results that lead to optimal mental and relational health. Mental and relational health is not just a reduction in symptoms and problems. Instead, they are increases in self-control and empowerment, as well as acceptance, freedom, kindness, compassion, safety, and understanding - for yourself and others.

VOBH helps individual and group clients strengthen the relationship between human behaviors and the well being of the body, mind, and spirit. We provide a wide array of behavioral health services that will help you achieve a greater sense of self-awareness, which grounds you in your daily life and creates a more joyful existence. We value diversity and recognize the importance of finding a psychologist and therapeutic approach that works best for your current needs.

The most important indicator of success in therapy is the therapeutic relationship. From the moment we meet, we will build the trust and rapport which will crucial to your success in therapy. I use a variety of approaches including attachment, mindfulness, and cognitive behavioral therapy in my work to help my clients attain their goals of maximum well being. My clients are wonderfully individual, so I base my orientation on their insight and understanding of their situation.

Are you struggling with insomnia, or worrying constantly? Do you have a traumatic event in your past that is haunting you? Have your relationships become difficult to manage? Are you concerned about your effectiveness as a parent? Is your family in a constant state of conflict and unable to effectively communicate? Psychotherapy is an effective way for helping individuals and families better cope with these circumstances, as well as other overwhelming life events and concerns. Working with individuals and families to create a safe where they can work through their challenges and develop strategies for a more fulfilling life.