Find a Therapist in Pacific Palisades, California.

I believe in showing my clients empathy, compassion, and unconditional positive regard. There is no script to follow. It is simply listening, holding space, withholding judgement, emotionally connecting, and communicating the incredibly healing message of, "You are not alone." My approach to helping is to show up authentically, without judgment and provide unconditional acceptance and guidance in the therapy room. My philosophy regarding psychotherapy is that healing happens in a warm and safe therapeutic relationship. What I find most important is creating a space between the therapist and client that is sacred, unique, very honest, and above all, compassionate. I use down to earth examples and exercises as a way to approach the healing process...(view profile to read more)

As co-therapists we bring greater awareness of what is going on in the room. We focus on the here and now. We bring experience in Gestalt, humanistic, mindfulness and narrative therapy into the room. We strive to create a safe and collaborative environment. We work together to help couples understand their patterns of behavior, acting out, shutting down and arguing. We focus on how a couple fights and not what they fight about. When we help you to understand and accept who you are now, change becomes a reality.

We all need help somtimes. Although I have expertise regarding psychological aspects of living, you are the one who lives your life. Therefore, my role is not to tell you what to do, but rather we would work together to achieve your goals. I make no guarantees, but I have helped many people in the past 25 years to overcome crippling depression, reduce panic and anxiety to manageable levels, and resolve challenging relationships. issues

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.

Psychotherapy is the use of verbal or other therapeutic-based modalities to create a positive change for the person seeking it. Psychotherapy is a unique process for each person who participates in it and the time that one spends in this process varies from case to case. Over time, one of the essential goals of psychotherapy is for our clients to obtain the necessary tools to work through issues on their own as they arise. It is essential that clients remember that psychotherapy is a process, and if done correctly, a beneficial one. I appreciate you trusting your therapeutic needs with me.

If you’re looking for someone who nods and smiles and leaves you feeling oddly confused about what you’re accomplishing in therapy, I’m the wrong person for you. Any trained professional should be able to offer you ‘a safe, compassionate space’ to talk about your feelings. But if you want to see real change in your life, you need to do something different. My approach is goal-oriented. I want to help you clarify and achieve your goals. Once we figure out what you’re struggling with, we’ll come up with an action plan, with weekly assignments designed to get you unstuck, and heading in a healthier direction.

The process of therapy is and should be tailored to each individual's life experience. Research shows that clients in therapy, who seek assistance to deal with a whole range of issues, challenges, thoughts, and emotions, can experience a positive benefit. In our collaborative work, we will complete a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment, where we look at many life factors that may be contributing to those challenges for which therapy is being considered. After an assessment, we will have a clearer idea of core values, possible goals and many ideas on designing a flexible plan that is easy to understand and use to bring about the transformation desired.

Sometimes the harder try to connect, the more distant and lonely you end up feeling. Yet you keep using the same ineffective strategies, because what else can you do? Or maybe you give up. You are probably spending enough time and effort already trying to make it work — you’re just doing it in the wrong way. I can help you channel your efforts more successfully using emotionally focused therapy (EFT).

The issue is not what happened to you, it’s the impact it had and how you are able to deal with it. Psychotherapy helps. It involves our talking together to address the problems you’re having in your life. We’ll see what works, what doesn’t, why not, what you’ve tried, and what other options there may be. We’ll look to understand how the difficulties came to be and what gets in the way of changing them. We’ll see what’s happening in your life now and how old patterns of thinking and behaving may interfere for you. We’ll explore other alternatives. I strongly believe people can change, and I see that happening in my office regularly. You’d be surprised how therapy can change your life.

I have almost 20 years experience treating individuals and couples in psychotherapy. I find that finding a good match with your psychotherapist is of utmost importance. One needs to feel safe with the therapist and in the environment in order to feel more comfortable to share extremely personal and become emotionally vulnerable for the process to be more beneficial. I have treated individuals and couples of ethically diverse backgrounds, the LGBTQ community who have offered me the feedback of feeling surprisingly comfortable undertaking the psychotherapeutic process with me.

Psychotherapy is the use of psychological methods to help a person change behavior and overcome problems in a positive manner. Its aim is to help people understand the thoughts behind feeling anxious or depressed and addressing these thinking patterns. Psychotherapy will help you change behaviors and habits that are limiting you, to experiencing your fullest potential.

Many people think about starting psychotherapy for a long time before working up the courage to follow through. It is a scary thing to open up to a stranger about your deepest thoughts, fears, and insecurities; but it is also an incredibly brave thing to do! You have chosen to take a step towards improving your life and that takes effort and courage! It is always a privilege for me to help guide a client to a healthier and more balanced life. I'm not going to lie and say I can make you happy, I can't, but I can help you learn how to create your own happiness, and learn how to become your own therapist so that you can continue making positive changes long after our time together is over.

My approach to psychotherapy is very customized. Every individual comes with their own beliefs, values, and family of origin. Because of this, one size does not fit all. I am very careful to take the time to learn my clients and their needs. I help my clients walk toward the directions they desire. I come to you with over 35 years of experience in helping others to heal. Whether it is addiction, abuse, grief, relationship struggles, or stress, I can help. I look forward to assisting you with your life challenges.