Emotionally Focused Therapists in Highland Park, CA

Hello! I’m Kate, a collaborative, relational, trauma-informed, and LGBTQ+ affirmative therapist. For 10+ years now, I’ve aimed to provide a safe, empowering space where we can slow down & untangle all the messiness of being a human. My hope is always for my clients come away with a greater sense of knowing themselves, more personal agency, & confidence that they can navigate the inevitable challenges of their future. I strive to embody a lens that is feminist, anti-racist & anti-oppressive in this work. My training includes Hakomi Mindful Somatic Therapy, Attachment-Focused EMDR & Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy.

Do you feel like the weight of past experiences, secrets, or questions about your identity are holding you back from living a fulfilling life? Are you struggling with sexual trauma, childhood abuse, or other forms of trauma that have left you feeling overwhelmed & powerless? We're here to help. As a feminist therapist & board-certified expert in treating trauma & PTSD, I have extensive experience in helping people just like you regain control of their lives. Whether you're dealing with sexual, gender, cultural identity issues, or any form of abuse, I offer a safe and empowering space where you can work through your issues & heal.

There are infinite reasons we seek therapy. You may find yourself disconnected from your relationships and exhausted by not feeling understood. You may feel pressure to be a perfect person, partner and parent, or struggling to name your feelings or needs in your relationships. I strive to co-create an attuned, safe space and our collaboration will center around your hopes, goals, and intersectional identities. When we allow the unfolding of emotional experiences, it can lead us to the emergence of a deeper understanding of yourself, self-acceptance, and connecting to the power and participation you have in relationships.

Kati Phillips is a certified emotionally-focused therapist with advanced training in sex therapy and LGBTQ-affirmative therapy. She works with adults, adolescents, couples and folks in consensual non-monogamous relationships.

Navigating the shift from one phase of life to another can be challenging, especially when past experiences or unresolved attachment issues resurface. As a therapist dedicated to working with young adults like you, I understand how these transitions can impact your well-being and sense of self.

You may've wondered why you couldn't just be happier, more confident, or less anxious. Perhaps you find yourself heartbroken or sense that your relationship is in trouble. You may feel stuck in a career or project with little motivation to move forward. Maybe you're struggling to handle painful emotions or a traumatic past. If left unaddressed, these difficulties may lead to depression, anxiety, or a host of relationship issues that can stop you from creating the life you want.

As a first generation Latina and trauma sensitive therapist, I create a safe therapeutic space to help my clients work through symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD and complex traumas they may feel are standing in the way of becoming their best selves.

In my practice, I focus on individuals struggling with anxiety and depression. There’s no way you can magically eliminate all the things that bother you, but we can lower the suffering that’s caused by them. I want to help you learn how to to deal with the stuff that life throws at you so that it doesn’t weigh you down so much. I’ll help you build skills to cultivate the positive feelings (joy, strength, connectedness) as well as better handle the uncomfortable ones (fear, anger, sadness). We'll collaborate to unpack the heaviness that’s weighing you down, explore your strengths, and then figure out what practices work best for you.

Are past traumatic experiences, being an adult child of a dysfunctional home, incest survival experiences, addiction issues, phobia, panic, anxiety, C-PTSD or depression affecting your success? Are distractions impacting your optimal performance abilities at work, in your intimate relationships, or in relationships with family members or with yourself? Are you surviving instead of thriving? I provide accelerated psychotherapy for individuals and couples who are challenged by performance loss and emotional unhappiness. Also offer Diagnosis evaluation for addiction, mood, personality, and adult Autism spectrum. HSP and Kink friendly.

Your story deeply matters to me. I provide relational, integrative, and sex-positive therapy to queer and BIPOC clients. My clients are looking to make their minds and bodies a safe home and are often the first in their families to have the courage to disrupt limiting beliefs and cycles. They seek to challenge expectations as they dare to redefine themselves wholeheartedly. Together, we will make space to explore the impact of generational and personal traumas, navigate the complexities and beauty of intersecting identities, and create meaningful, lasting, and accessible healing practices. Let's connect!

Everyone goes through challenging situations in life & while you may have successfully navigated through other difficulties you've faced, there's nothing wrong with seeking out extra support. Therapy can be a tremendous asset to managing personal growth, interpersonal relationships, marriage issues, & the hassles of daily life. While we can't change difficult situations of the past, we can work together to better understand and resolve challenges in your life. By applying a variety of therapeutic approaches we can explore long-standing behavior patterns or negative perceptions that may be holding you back from experiencing a more fulfilling & meaningful life.

Are you looking to solve the problem you have been having within your family? I am here to help you get the support you’ve been looking for to improve your relationships. Help with the fights at home about homework. Help getting your child to do what they are told the first time. Help with a transition to a new stage of life. I've always gravitated towards working with youth and young adults with the highest needs because that is where I have seen I've been most effective as a therapist.

Are you concerned about a child or adolescent that is struggling? Are they shutting down and sad? Worried or mad? Are they having trouble functioning at school or with friends? How about at home and with their family? Has something in their life changed? Maybe they need a little more support at this particular time... Therapy can help. I work with individuals of all ages, couples, and families.

The human spirit has an amazing capacity for resilience, but sometimes it's too hard to access it on your own. When we encounter challenges and problems in relationships, in our workplaces, in our families, we can feel overwhelmed, hopeless, & stuck. It's not uncommon to feel depressed or anxious, or seek out unhealthy ways to function that mask the hurt. It's in situations like these that it takes great strength to reach out and ask for help--to seek someone to come alongside and enter into your experience; help shoulder the burden, and rediscover and connect with that resiliency.

Having a baby has been so much harder than you ever thought it could be. You're feeling anxious, overwhelmed by your emotions & isolated- living in "survival mode". It's impossible to avoid reminders of what you've been through. You're replaying bad memories on repeat and imagining worst case scenarios. How is everyone else making this motherhood thing look so easy? Whether you're facing ongoing fertility process, feeling traumatized by a difficult birth, or need to heal a loss, getting support is an important step in moving forward without traumatic experiences interfering in your life, your relationships & your parenting.

Do you feel like you aren't operating at your full potential? Do you experience thoughts and feelings that interfere with your life balance? Although there are many reasons one seeks therapy, it is often our desire to feel connection, contentment and happiness. We all have unique stories that have shaped us. I would like to work with you to discover all that has led you to your current situation. To guide and assist you in a journey that will allow you to operate from a place of acceptance, compassion, and understanding for self and others.

We understand that it is difficult to find a therapist you can actually connect to - someone who is both effective and human. That is why our therapists strive for this balance, providing authentic and effective therapy. We work collaboratively with people to detail their future hopes and honor the histories that inform their current experiences and relationships. Our goal is to not only effectively reduce symptoms, but also to facilitate the creation of a strong relationship with yourself and your inner world. Therapy can be a transformative experience when it is co-created and tailored to each individual, couple, or family.

You may be fed up with feeling like you just don't fit in, or perhaps you're struggling to navigate your relationships as a person who just feels “different” . You might even feel like an outsider, unsure of how to be in the world. But one thing is for sure: you're ready for some relief. You're ready to embrace all your quirks, to understand yourself better, and to love those parts wholly. Most of all, you're ready for a transformation.

I strongly believe in the healing power of a safe therapeutic space and human connection to build resilience and foster a more fulfilling life. I strive to co-create a safe space that is warm, collaborative, and empathic so that, together, we can process and integrate past or current traumatic or disruptive experiences, and explore questions of identity, self-concept, and interpersonal relationships. My client-centered, trauma-informed, and integrative approach lends itself to meeting my clients where they are at and walking alongside you as you uncover the strengths and tools within to face life’s challenges.