Therapists in La Jolla, CA

Clients who seek me out for therapy often identify with historically underrepresented groups such as Black, Indigenous, people of transnational-immigrant diaspora, LGBTQIA+ individuals/couples/CNM configurations, sex workers, and more. My therapy services include but are not limited to supporting individuals/couples/CNM configurations navigating life transitions, processing trauma to release the influence of the past on the present, as well as finding/developing their emotional balance. I have experience working with Consensually Nonmonogamous Configurations as well as Kinky populations in regard to my relational work.

You’ve needed changes but for too long, your efforts get complicated by self-sabotage and triggered reactions. When triggered, you prefer to isolate and withdraw so you don’t need to worry more about straining your relationships. You’ve had to be self-reliant for so long that you can’t imagine asking for what you need without feeling selfish or worrying about burdening others. Much of your attention is preoccupied with anticipating harm or preventing social rejection. You know that you’re self-aware and knowledgeable about your struggles. But you don’t know how to implement the steps towards actual deep, lasting healing and change.

Hi! I'm Dani, and I see couples. Whether you are doing the work of repairing, growing, or separating, couples counseling is a path to mutual understanding. For couples who would like to stay together, it’s worth reflecting on what brought you together in the first place. Things like how you met, what clicked, and why you stayed can inform what makes you hang in there now. I find that’s a nice place to start if you’re keeping the bond, sometimes even if you’re not. Wherever you are at in your dynamic, we’ll go into what you would like to see happen here.

I specialize in working with individuals, couples, and families struggling with overcontrol/excessive self-control. This can show up as rumination, hyper-perfectionism, rigidity, difficulty relaxing, and emotional loneliness (even with loved ones around). These challenges can intersect with substance abuse, suicidal ideation or attempts, and/or self-harm. Often, an overcontrolled coping style is central to conditions such as chronic anxiety/depression, eating disorders, and personality disorders like obsessive-compulsive and avoidant personalities. This way of coping may exacerbate or perpetuate trauma and grief symptoms as well.

I am a queer multicultural nonbinary AuDHD therapist who creates a nonjudgemental space for their clients. I mainly focus on the trans and nonbinary experience, complex trauma, chronic & terminal illnesses, grief, AuDHD & autism. I have clinical and personal experiences regarding my specializations. I have a deep capacity for working with trauma & supporting clients who think their story is “too heavy” for others to bear. I am really good at helping you (re)connect with who you are, who you want to be & figuring out how self-care looks like for you. Whatever we work on, I will create a safe environment and affirm your experience.

Hi there! I am a second-generation Filipinx-American therapist from Union City and based in Los Angeles, California. With experience in the home, school, and medical settings, I have provided 1:1 therapy, family counseling, support groups, Mental Health First Aid training, coalition-building, and supervision for clinicians and interns as the clinical program manager for a non-profit agency. With the understanding that wellness is holistic and the arts are healing, I am inspired by people’s stories and believe in the therapeutic elements of self-expression for personal growth and greater social change.

Hi, my name is Vanessa (she/they) I am an AMFT and Registered Art Therapist. I am of Zapotec heritage, raised on Tataviam lands, known today as the Northeast San Fernando Valley. Identities I hold are being queer, disabled, 1st gen, neurodiverse, and somewhere on the gender spectrum of being femme and beyond one gender. My commitment as an Anti-Imperialist/abolitionist therapist show up in the space in the ways I do not center tenants of white supremacy such as perfectionism, worship of written word, centrism/white comfort, and individualism. As a person of color, my lived experience has led me to center social justice in my work.

Let's talk about your story. We are surrounded by stories about ourselves, our cultures, and communities. I help trans, queer, and POC people explore the stories that compose our lived experiences of anxiety, depression, gender, immigration, and race. Together, we'll work towards unpacking generational trauma to fortify your mental wellness, communication, boundaries, and intentional living.

Perhaps you are feeling frustrated, feeling misunderstood and not yourself lately. Maybe you are a first-time parent (or fourth!) navigating how to juggle all your other identities with your new parent role. Maybe you are trying to work out some generational differences with your parents. Maybe you just want to be able to talk to your partner, sibling, in-laws, or metamour and feel seen, heard, and understood. If you are struggling to be on the same page with your loved ones and are interested in creating a more harmonious relationship, I am here for you. Whatever it may be, I am here to listen.

As a person of color, I understand the significant impact our identities have on our experience. Feeling invisible or invalidated because of how we identify or how we present, can influence the way we think about ourselves and others. I welcome the discussion of one's intersectionality of identities and deconstructing the narratives we've learned to adopt. For those who find themselves feeling stuck in life or in transition, I am here to be a guide, a witness, and an advocate for you on your path towards healing and understanding.

We all go through challenges. Daily stressors, trauma, oppressive narratives, and social conditioning from our upbringing affect our emotions, moods, nervous systems, and sense of self. These experiences can show up as: identity/sexuality issues, depression, anxiety, low self-value, difficulty staying present, and problems with our interpersonal and romantic relationships. You want change but how and where do you start; unfortunately, life doesn't always teach us these skills. By working together, we can safely work towards finding the authentic, whole person that already resides in you.

I typically work for clients with anxiety and depression, body image issues and OCD, and thought disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, delusional disorder). My approach is drawn from Client-centered theory, multicultural counseling theory, psychodynamic theory, music therapy theory (not a board-certified music therapist yet, currently working on it)

You have been living through a stressful and exhausting time. A global pandemic is constantly changing your relationships and the way you live your life. You have also been exposed to an unprecedented amount of collective trauma both within your communities, and on a larger global scale. You're finding it harder to get a good night's rest, and you struggle to find meaning in a world that seems overwhelmingly painful to exist in. You want things to be different, but you don't know how.

As a queer Japanese-American, I believe the authentic self is a hard-earned accomplishment. Clients who connect with me are often similarly invested in identity work and reauthoring their narrative to reflect who they are. Together, we explore how external systems such as capitalism and patriarchy impact how they understand themselves, how they walk through the world, and how they connect with others.

Johnny Zhong, Trained EMDR, Specialized in couple therapy. A compassionate therapist, specializes in TRAUMA, body dysmorphic disorder, anxiety, depression, OCD, life transitions, grief. With a client-centered approach, Johnny offers therapy to both adults and children. He integrates "MUSIC Therapy techniques" such as songwriting, lyric analysis, drumming, improvisation, and singing to explore and process emotions. In addition to these techniques, Johnny incorporates play therapy, sound therapy, psychodynamic therapy, CBT, DBT, and somatic therapy. This holistic treatment approach ensures comprehensive care for their clients.

Therapy is an art, not a science. Since every person is a unique individual, therapy will vary depending on the persons involved. Hence, there can be no one approach to therapy which works for everyone. To facilitate change, different techniques may be used. However, the forging of a therapeutic alliance is essential for change. Research has shown that a successful outcome in therapy depends on this. In humanistic psychology, emphasis is placed on self-actualization. A propensity to self-actualize is presumed to exist in all persons. Karen Horney made the following analogy to illustrate this phenomenon.