Therapists in Highland Park, CA

Life is complicated, and often very difficult. My goal is to help you deal with that. Relationships are so important to us, yet they’re the hardest thing we do. Sometimes the people that love us most, hurt us most.

Accepting New Clients. As an integrative and holistic therapist, I invite shadow aspects of the individual and collective as tools for growth. I believe genuine healing comes from mindfulness awareness (being present to the experience of living), honoring emotions, cultural awareness, and curiosity. Relational approaches are at the foundation of my work, along with depth psychology (exploring how the unconscious shapes our thoughts and actions). When serviceable to explore, art and somatic based practices may be used, as these approaches can be a rich source of integration for artists and those in the healing profession.

It is a gift to seek out a space of your own to be witnessed and understood– I’m so glad you are here. My work is rooted in considering the ecosystem of mind, body, spirit, and culture in relationship to community and self. My approach involves being curious about you as a whole person and tapping into the complex interplay of your embodied and emotional world. I draw influence from a relational, mindfulness, and depth lens. As a client-centered therapist, I seek to empower you to define your unique needs and goals for our work together.

You feel anxious, stuck, and often made to feel out of control by your own thoughts and fears. Whether you have OCD, are struggling with perinatal or postpartum issues, are in transition, or have a history of trauma, you are tired of letting your fears and doubts run your life and relationships. You're discouraged from continuing toward your dreams. You want nothing more than to feel confident in yourself and live a life aligned with your values, but you are not sure where to start or worry about finding someone who will actually hear you. You've come to the right place, I'm here to work collaboratively with you and really listen.

If you've become lost amongst obstacles on your journey, I'd like to help guide you to more happiness by offering suggestions, uncovering unwanted patterns, and leading you from the past to the present in order to heal and evolve, enhancing your happiness. Through changes in perceptions/attitudes and being willing to see situations with a new pair of glasses, you can reach your goals and evolve. My clients report that they enjoy my down-to-earth attitude and humor and my use of Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, TRM, meditation and yoga to treat mind-body symptoms. I work best with clients who are motivated to gain self-awareness and see patterns that are no longer serving them. I give homework between sessions in order to keep the continuity of healing working consistently. I feel very blessed to be working in a field that serves people who are finding their best selves and evolving into the people they want to be.

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.

I am a narrative-trained drama therapist who is person-centered in approach. I facilitate individuals, families, and groups in corporate or educational settings. We will work together to re-author problem saturated life narratives as you explore expressive therapies in sessions as a means toward an embodied, cognitive, safe, creative experience. Restoring the whole person is the goal. My expertise has been on self-identity, foster care, adoption, rehab, adolescence, anxiety, trauma, multiculturalism & social skills. Talk, discovery, and recovery through rapport from a drama therapy and a positive psychology foundation nurture you.

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.

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.

I specialize in therapy with individuals, couples, and families, dealing with life transitions and crises impacting social, emotional, relationship, and interpersonal functioning. Goals for therapy may include working through a difficult transition, relieving specific troubling symptoms, building coping strategies to manage difficult feelings, improving communication, improving the quality of relationships, increasing social skills, reducing conflict, improving conflict resolution and problem solving skills, and gaining greater insight and awareness for personal growth.

I invite clients to be curious about their relationships, struggles, and dreams within a framework of creativity and emotional safety. I ensure our space is safe and inclusive for all people, honoring and encouraging your individuality. I recognize the relationship between client and therapist as a foundational component to psychotherapy. Growing and fostering this relationship is a process that I am immensely committed to, which can foster lasting positive change and build resilience. With this dedication to safety, relationship and trust, healing can begin.

My name is Katie Szymanski (she/her/hers) and I am an Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in Eagle Rock, LA. I work with children, teens, adults, and families. I specialize in trauma, grief, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, eating disorders and creative and career blocks. I work with teens and children to help give tools and strategies for dealing with life's tough stuff and by giving them a place to be themselves and talk about difficult feelings.

Life can sometimes make us feel unworthy, out of control, and even hopeless, leaving us yearning for more. These feelings of disconnection can leave us questioning our purpose in this world. We all naturally desire to belong, and when that need is unmet, we are left feeling anxious, depressed, insecure, and wanting to withdraw. You deserve to reclaim a fulfilling life. This Journey is about you- free from constraints or expectations. Let's co-create a sanctuary where your experiences are welcomed and encouraged.

Therapy is a dynamic and improvisational collaborative process. I believe in the boundless generativity of “yes, and” and that being a person is deeply absurd and profoundly sacred in equal measure. My approach is inquisitive and creative. I work from a depth perspective, which means I am attentive to both unconscious forces and conscious patterns that may be creating unnecessary roadblocks to a more fulfilled life.

I think of therapy as a creative and collaborative process that allows for a deeper, more integrated sense of oneself to emerge over time. I work with clients to help them better understand and navigate their experiences so that they can feel more authentic and aligned as they move through the world. I see myself as a helper and guide as clients build understanding of how to release old patterns and experience new things.

I provide a warm and non-judgmental space to witness, hold, and seek understanding of your pain and grief as much as your joy and wonder. Together we will explore the many facets of your ever-evolving self, as well your relationships to the people and environments around you. I work with individuals, couples/partners, and families of all ages. I particularly enjoy working with teens, young adults, and couples/partners who are navigating questions around identity, sexuality, struggling to find a sense of belonging, or who are hoping to feel more at ease in their body and with their sense of self.

There is no "one size fits all" approach when it comes to therapy. You decide what you need from of our time together. Perhaps, for now, you're curious. This is where we start. I aim to strike a balance between a direct and challenging therapeutic space with warmth, compassion, and a sense of humor when appropriate. I provide space for clients to explore and "connect the dots" openly and free of judgment. Together we will work to make the unconscious more conscious expanding and deepening your understanding of yourself and putting you more in touch with your hopes, your dreams, and desires.

I would like you to know that you are in a safe place. My name is Kathleen Maldonado, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, born and raised in Los Angeles, California. I am here to walk with you on your journey to self-awareness, cognitive challenging, and healing. I have worked in the mental health field for 4 years, specializing in Trauma studies, implementing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Seeking Safety, Managing and Adapting Practice (MAP), and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) to assist clients overcome and heal.