In Person Therapists in Santa Barbara, CA

Thank you for considering beginning psychotherapy with me. My Ph.D. is in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Depth Psychology. My training has allowed me to help people resolve problems where they have been otherwise unsuccessful. I have developed many innovative and evidence-based treatments that may be of interest to you or your loved ones.

The Hosford Clinic is a university-based community clinic that provides affordable mental health services to people in the Santa Barbara area (including Isla Vista, Goleta and Carpinteria). We offer counseling and treatment services for individuals, couples, adolescents, children, and families. These services are evidence based, culturally-responsive and low-cost. We provide a safe space for you to talk privately about your worries and concerns and can help by: *asking questions that help you see your problem in new ways; *teaching you effective ways to cope; *coaching you in ways to improve your work, school, and home life.

As an openly transgender therapist, I know it can be difficult to find the right person to confide in. Wanting to be loved and accepted doesn’t make you needy, or extra, or selfish, or weak. It makes you human. To me, you are not just some random psychology textbook or theory. In our work together, my focus is to build goals and a relationship where you feel comfortable exploring what you think, feel, want, and need. My style as a therapist is warm, relaxed, and conversational. I use playfulness, imagery, art, metaphors, curiosity, creativity, self-compassion, and humor when appropriate to support the therapeutic process.

I am the founder and executive director of Lucid Therapeutics. I am a board-certified emergency medicine physician with 15 years of experience and a fellowship in wilderness medicine. I became dissatisfied with western medicine, realizing that many elements of primary health, particularly mental health, were being mismanaged in the existing system. I completed training for Ketamine Therapy at the Psychedelic Coalition for Health and the MDMA Therapy Training Program through the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). We help our clients find meaningful alignment with psychedelic psychotherapy.

I'm currently accepting new Cottage Health Clients! I specialize in working with Healthcare Professionals, First Responder's and Transitional Aged Youth (ages 16 to 25). I also really enjoy working with Mothers learning to navigate all stages of motherhood. I provide a warm and healing environment to help my clients explore, process and grow. I'm trained in somatic EMDR and firmly believe that as humans we heal best when we incorporate working with the nervous system. In sessions, I often utilize somatic exercises to help a client enhance physical and emotional safety and overall groundedness.

I welcome you to walk with me on a journey of healing and thriving if you seek harmony, peace, resilience and yes joy, in the face of life's adversities. Those who are experiencing life stresses/trauma resulting in anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges are most welcome for psychotherapy. We work together utilizing various treatments such as mindfulness, cognitive therapy and the underlying biological reactions to stress in order to help you thrive. I also offer evaluations of learning and brain functions and give life changing recommendations. The collaborative work with horses is especially powerful.

It is an honor to accompany individuals into the psyche where our deepest wounds are sometimes hidden. Healing energies can often be found in those depths, stimulating growth toward a more whole, authentic and satisfying existence. Sometimes the pain is on the surface, and symptom relief is necessary to allow the individual to return to a more effective functioning level. This can be accomplished through a combination of cognitive approaches (i.e., Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) and body-centered approaches (i.e., focusing, embodied dream work, mindfulness).

For many people it is hard to ask for help when it comes to sorting out the challenges of life. Making the decision to seek assistance from a therapist is courageous and can be rewarded with a safe, warm and supportive therapy environment. I work with people who often feel they are in crisis, experience anxiety or depression, have a low sense of self and struggle with the relationships in their lives but are motivated to gain insight and skills that are necessary to make lasting positive changes.

I conduct individual, couples, and family work via TeleHealth; and am currently only accepting private pay clients. This allows me to keep a small client base of no more than 12 people, so I am free to offer follow-up treatment and communication for optimal facilitation and navigation. I strive to achieve significant breakthrough and results within 6 sessions of treatment, as efficiently and effectively as possible. Please see my ZenCare profile for more information and an introductory video on the nature of my work. CenCal clients can be referred directly to any number of reliable colleagues at my group practice.

Feeling overwhelmed by a specific challenge or aiming to enhance your life and relationships? As your therapist, I aim to help you identify concerns and guide you toward positive transformations efficiently. My office is a sanctuary—a secure, inviting space where we embark on a journey of self-discovery and growth together. Through collaboration, we navigate obstacles and uncover tools for your thriving. I use diverse modalities, tailoring therapy to your needs.

-- I Provide Telephone Therapy & Videoconference Sessions -- I work best with motivated adults who are committed to working on clearly identified psychological and relationship problems. My clients have tried to solve issues on their own but eventually recognize a need for professional assistance. They realize that therapists have no magical quick cures and that treatment takes courage, persistence and risk-taking. My clients learn that seeking help is a strength, not a weakness. They develop trust in the therapeutic relationship and make lasting gains. I honor each one.

I am both a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Board-Registered Art Therapist. I am educated and trained to help you identify and express your feelings both verbally and with non-verbal modalities. I am a trauma-focused, holistic, feminist psychotherapist who works with women and girls. If you are feeling stuck and would like to experience more joy in your life, let's work together to create the life you would like to live!

Therapy can be the catalyst that allows you to move past overwhelming feelings of discouragement, distraction, frustration, boredom, heartbreak, inner conflicts, self-alienation and uncertainty while also moving you in the direction of greater clarity, confidence, inner peace, life satisfaction and personal evolution. What is Personal Evolution?

From birth through death, each stage of life is dynamic and valuable. Through these stages, we sometimes encounter challenges beyond our own capacity and we need to reach out for help. I believe in healing. I believe we all have the capacity to recover and learn deeply about ourselves through our most challenging experiences. I enjoy working with people of all ages and in all life stages.

Do you often feel worried, confused, down or overwhelmed? Do relationships feel like a struggle? Do you focus so much on others that you forget to care for yourself? Do you struggle with making decisions in your best interest? Are you ready to set aside time to rediscover you?

It can be very challenging to see things clearly in life. I help individuals re-adjust their way of looking at themselves, their relationships, and the world. Through psycho-dynamic exploration, I come alongside a patient in the discovery of what is possible, as it is my belief that the most crucial part of therapy is the relationship that builds between patient and therapist. It is often easier to shine a light into uncertain areas of one's heart and mind when someone else is holding the light.

My therapeutic services are targeted at individuals who prefer the privacy, convenience and familiarity of meeting in their home or may have challenges that extend beyond a traditional in-office setting. I work with client's who face challenges impacting their functioning at home, school or in the community. I work with issues such as anxiety, depression, or panic and behavioral issues like opposition, aggression, and excessive screen time.

Is your child struggling with their emotions and behavior that affects your day-to-day life and their ability to manage how they’re feeling in a healthy way? Do you feel exhausted, overwhelmed, or lost in trying to figure out how to best support your child? You are not alone. In this post-COVID era, children and teens are struggling with emotional regulation more than ever, and parents are faced with challenges beyond the typical stressors of parenting. 1 in 5 teens struggle with a mental health disorder, few get the treatment that they need to overcome these issues (CDC).

I love to work with individuals who are driven by an innate need to self-actualize, and who are motivated to find meaning and happiness in life. Folks who have been through a lot, and therefore look at the world from a spiritual lens. Individuals who are interested in exploring relationships, career, spirituality, the purpose of life, and want to cultivate a practice (like meditation). They might be experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, or personality related concerns in some or most of these aspects, and are hoping to receive clarity, care, and understanding in a safe therapeutic space.