Find a Therapist in Oak Hills, California.

In my office you will find empathy for and validation of your emotional pain. I believe the total person needs to be considered in regards to gender, temperament, personality and personal beliefs. My theoretical focus has been in Cognitive-Behavioral therapy, and Bowen's Extended Family therapy. However, I have found Emotion Focused therapy to be effective with couples, and have been using it for a number of years. Because you will have your emotions validated in a very powerful and empathetic manner, you will not feel overwhelmed when confronted with a challenge to change.

Therapy is not a one size fits all experience. Though I extensively trained to understand specific theories of practice, I utilize a "prescriptive" approach. This means I will adapt to your needs in treatment. Therapy is co-created, it is relational, and it is in the therapeutic relationship where we seek personal growth to apply outside the therapy room. I work with adult individual clients who are grieving a significant loss, LGBTIQ+ adults, adults with creative blocks, neurodivergent adults, people pleasers, those recovering from trauma, and adults burnt out about their work.

The types of counseling are various. Some are short, some are insightful, some focus only on thoughts, some strive to get the heart of emotions, some work with minor problems, some work with more severe psychological struggles. Psychotherapy can cover all of these types of counseling, but the main focus is on helping a person with a troubled mind. The trouble in your mind may be minor or complex, but in either situation you can find relief as you connect with a psychotherapist to gain therapy for your mind. Like an onion being peeled, you may find more and more relief as you experience therapy that gets to know you and provides the compassion you need.

In laymen's terms, psychotherapy is the opportunity to talk about and process your problems or challenges with a trained therapist. Sometimes, we don't need someone to try to fix our problems for us, which is what most of our friends try to do when we talk about them. Sometimes we need someone who will listen and be a sounding board so we can think through and process for ourselves. I want to support you with your goals and your needs and we can make a therapy plan (psychotherapy or other types) that you feel will best suit your needs. Most importantly, I provide that safe environment for you to be able to be vulnerable, talk about, and process whatever is on your heart and in your mind.

Free 30 minute zoom call - Psychotherapy can be an incredibly powerful tool for improving many different areas of ones life. My style is warm, compassionate and my approach is holistic, pulling from man different and highly effective modalities. Clients can overcome depression, anxiety, difficult relationships, work issues, lack of self-esteem, grief, anger & so much more in psychotherapy. Understanding how to get from these challenges to a better place is no easy task. Utilizing the education & experience of a therapist can help you understand what happened in your childhood that's affecting you now, how your brain got wired, how you can develop skills & tools to support growth and healing

I always tell my clients that I am an "Old School Psychotherapist." This means that I believe that the way we are raised, our parents, and our families create who we are as adults. This means that I do a deep dive with every single client. I learn about you. I learn about your past, your history, and your family relationships. We form a bond and this connection allows us to be a true team for your mental health. If you are looking for a long-term therapist, you are in the right place! Long-term therapy allows for long-term results. You come to therapy to learn about yourself and see your mood improve, and you will get there much faster with a therapist who is truly on your side. I am here.

My approach to psychotherapy is dependent on my clients feeling heard and understood by me. This is what creates safety as well as change. I become a mirror for you, one that is without judgment. I aim to help you see yourself more clearly in order to gain unconditional love for yourself. I work to help you see who you have become in the context of how you learned to get love.

Are you struggling right now in your life? Not feeling confident? Relationship problems? Feeling like no one understands you? It is my goal to help you get through your struggles and heal emotionally without compromising your faith, values or future happiness. I specialize in mood disorders, depression, anxiety, sleep issues… I also work with those with dual diagnoses (substances), as well as, support in medication management. I also work with families who are struggling with communication, provide anger management and parenting classes, as well as support those that want better relationships. If you are not sure if I can help, give me a call. Your 15 minute phone consultation is free.

My clients often find me easy to talk to and say they feel comfortable with me, trusting quickly. This can make the psychotherapeutic process easier and more effective for my clients, especially if they are nervous or don’t know what to expect. Therapy with me can range from just talking casually with each other, leading to insights, increased self awareness, and processing through emotional issues, or it could be more intensive deeper therapy like EMDR.

We cannot underestimate the impact our families of origin have on our personal development. Mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers all play an enormous role in how we view ourselves and the world around us. Psychotherapy is a thorough exploration into the causes for many of our dysfunctional behaviors. You will gain insight into how your early life relationships are impacting you current relationships. I provide a supportive and compassionate counseling experience making objective observations throughout the process. Psychotherapy can provide clarity that facilitates positive change. It aims to put to bed old resentments and hurts leaving clients free to pursue healthy relationships.

Psychotherapy is not anything to be scared of, or intimidated about. Seeking out a therapist or being in therapy isn't an admission of weakness or some kind of character flaw. Therapy is a collaborative process and a partnership with someone who is trained in and experienced with facilitating personal growth. And in this process, you are in the driver's seat. Our minds and emotions and relationships involve complicated machinery just like our bodies do and in the same way a medical doctor helps you stay physically healthy, Psychotherapy is designed to help you be and stay mentally and socially strong, and continually in a position to take on life's many challenges as your best self.

While I am technically a psychotherapist, I do not like the word "psychotherapy" for two reasons. First, when people hear the word, they usually think of a troubled person reclining on a couch. I like to think of myself as an advanced coach because I can help people regardless of the severity of their challenges, but we can get deep into the nitty-gritty emotional content of a relationship if we need to. Second, I work with more than one person, because I help improve relationships, which *may* involve two or more people in the room.