Relational Therapists in La Canada, CA

The most fascinating and important part of my job as a therapist is how to have a really good conversation. It may sound too simple, but it cuts to the heart of what to expect from therapy. Through good conversation, you experience connection and understanding. When we are understood, difficult feelings change with resulting freedoms to engage life. Trained both as a Marriage and Family therapist and a psychoanalyst, I work with complex relationship issues, divorce and blended families, depression, anxiety, addictions, men's issues, and sexual trauma recovery, and integration of psychology and faith/spirituality.

Relationships can be tough. But they can also be a source of great connection and joy. Are you struggling in your most important relationships? Or having conflicting feelings about the people in your life? Maybe you're feeling anxious or depressed? Or struggling to understand the changes taking place with your child or adolescent? Whatever struggle you're facing, you don't need face them on your own.

I enjoy working with people who are open to looking at themselves in new and different ways. I help clients explore how their issues develop and how to make healthy choices toward change. I believe we are all influenced by our most important relationships and in therapy I help clients figure out how past relational patterns are being repeated right now. When we can understand that, we can create new relationship possibilities that work better. I enjoy working with graduate students and professionals in the community. I love helping clients who are involved in the arts (musicians, actors, painters, dancers).

Loss, grief, loneliness, betrayal, despair, these experiences punctuate and define our lives.Yet all the while we’re longing for wholeness, connectedness, and authenticity in ourselves and relationships. Usually our coping strategies, often developed in our childhood, eventually stop working for us and the pain ensues. We can’t seem to find relief from the problems and find ourselves falling further into cycles of numbing or masking our pain. But I’m here to say there is hope, real change is possible! Our deepest hurts happen in relationships, but so can our deepest healing. If you want to dig deep, I'm ready to partner with you!

PsychE Therapy Inc. was created by Dr. Elleni Koulos to promote overall wellness and healing, with a focus on treating the whole person. We value and emphasize the connection between Mind, Body, Soul, Spirit and Heart. Each of us face challenges on our unique journey through life, at times resulting in feelings of depression, anxiety, grief, low self-esteem and body image issues. PsychE Therapy Inc. will work with you and your family to provide support and to develop a specialized treatment plan to meet your specific needs. This may include traditional talk therapy, art, music and other therapeutic interventions.

I enjoy working with people of all ages facing various kinds of transition. Each new phase of life brings somewhat predictable changes, and then there are other changes that cause us to adapt and grow in somewhat unpredictable ways. Whatever you're facing, my goal is to work with you to find unique strengths and creative solutions that allow you to thrive in the midst of change.

The therapists at Relate Therapy Center specialize in relationships. If you are struggling in your marriage, with your kids, with your significant other, with your friends, or if you're struggling with maintaining relationships at all, we are here to help. Oftentimes, the relationship struggles that people face can lead to significant distress--depression, anxiety, hopelessness, anger, addiction, and more. If you are experiencing these, or other kinds of struggles, know that you don't have to face them alone. We are here to help!

Is your relationship trapped in a pattern of anger, resentment and withdrawal? Are you tired of feeling like your worst version of yourself within your most precious relationship? There is a way out. Working together, we will uncover early painful experiences and the resulting coping behaviors that cause destruction in your relationships with others and with yourself. My hope is that our time together will restore you both to your best selves, allowing you and your partner come back to one another - not in the old way, but in a new way that offers long term connection and safety together.

Do you want to make changes in your life? Do you want to make healthy choices that will enable you to reach your full potential? Psychotherapy provides a healing relationship - a second chance at discovering our capacity to grow, to love, to reflect and to change how we react to the world around us. Through the connection of the therapeutic relationship, one is able to transform patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Today you are one step closer to creating positive changes in your life. It would be an honor and a privilege to join you on this journey!

All of us struggle at different times in our lives. We may feel stuck in our current state or situation and wonder if this is how life has to be. Whether you are facing a conflict that seems unsolvable, are searching for more meaning in life, or want to heal past wounds to feel a deeper sense of peace, making the decision to seek help takes courage. My belief is that we all have the power to limit the chaos of our mind through developing a strong and loving connection to ourselves.

Whether it's ADHD, anxiety, or "old stuff" from the past, you want the feelings and thoughts to stop interrupting your (or your family's) life. Often, it's our ability to see things from a different perspective that allows us to start healing, re-connecting, and making the changes we want, to enjoy greater academic and professional success, freedom from painful memories, and stronger emotional health.

I see couples all the time who love each other desperately but just can’t seem to make it work. Some couples put it this way: “It’s like we keep having the same fight over and over again and nothing ever gets resolved. We just have a big fight, followed by silence, and then we just go back to our daily lives without ever working through the issues until the next fight happens. I don’t know what’s happening or why it’s happening but it’s just awful.”

My specialties are relationship issues and loss and grief. I have been in practice for over 18 years. I mainly see clients virtually and find it has been just as powerful and proactive as in person. Many clients like the convenience of being able to be in three different locations. In couples therapy, I will help you and your partner identify the conflict issues within your relationship. Couples therapy involves learning how to communicate more effectively, and how to listen more closely. In couples therapy I am proactive and direct helping the couple gain awareness of their "disconnect" by pointing out observed behaviors.

Pain hurts and is often what brings us into therapy. Buried in the hurt is a small seed of a hope for change. As your therapist, I see you as a whole and complex person and not just your "problems." As safety and trust are created between us, therapy and the therapeutic relationship can be a vehicle for change and healing. The unique relationship we'll build will provide new ways of being and relating out in the world and within you.

I believe that every day gives us the opportunity to approach our difficulties in a new way if we are open to the experience of change. When people come to see me they are usually in some kind of emotional pain, whether that be stemming from a recent trauma, loss, life transition or relationship struggle. Talking about it helps. My personal approach combines warmth, acceptance and respect with skill and dedication to understanding my clients’ unique needs.

My clients often ask me, "How can I change this" in reference to a particular problem he or she might be having. My approach to treatment is to work closely with you in exploring and understanding the impact of your past with mindful attention to present problem solving. Therapeutic work requires a safe and confidential place to share your pain and struggles. Within this safe space, clients are often able to move forward and discover reasons behind self-defeating behaviors, resolve old issues, and become more authentic in present relationships.

You don't have to continue feeling depressed or anxious. I can help you learn effective ways to manage difficulties and challenges so that you may feel more in control of your life. Replace debilitating negative thoughts and embrace your strengths and capabilities. You can learn to trust that you're ready to make decisions, move forward, reach your goals, and attain what you want, feeling hopeful, motivated and optimistic. Individuals, couples and families learn new ways to communicate effectively, resolve ongoing conflicts, repair trust, learn to support each other, heal and grow a stronger relationship.

Let me help you be as successful in your relationships as you are in other areas of your life. This is one of the greatest challenges we will ever face - to achieve intimacy and have self-understanding. I sincerely believe (and see!) the effectiveness of therapy and I love guiding you from trauma to transformation! I appreciate how hard it may be to seek counseling, and, I greatly respect my clients' willingness to sort through the difficulties in their lives in order to develop better insight and achieve the skills to create long-lasting change.

Are you ready to take the next step toward changing your life? As a dynamic and innovative therapist, I blend research-driven techniques with creative strategies to accelerate your progress. My approach is personal, energetic, and empathetic, ensuring you feel supported as you share your thoughts and feelings in complete confidence. I’ll clearly explain each step of our process, empowering you to use tools effectively and see faster results. Together, we’ll cultivate a genuine and meaningful therapeutic relationship to help you achieve your goals.