Female Therapists in Seal Beach, CA

The decision to start seeing a therapist often comes after months, or even years, of emotional struggle. You may feel like you should be able to handle this on your own or you may be losing hope that things can get better at all. It takes courage, hope, and determination to reach out for help. This is why, as a therapist, I work hard from day one to make you feel comfortable, accepted, and heard. I want you to know that you are not alone and that I can help you get through this. My goal at the end of therapy is always for my clients to feel whole and healthy and deeply connected to the people around them.

I want to understand who you are, where you are, and how I can support your mental health journey. With a warm and welcoming approach to connection and collaboration, together, we will explore the many factors that may be contributing to your struggle and what tools we can identify to help you address them.

As a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist at Olive Leaf Family Therapy, I specialize in working with relationship issues, marital and premarital counseling, and adult caregivers of elderly and aging parents. I use Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) in working with my couples. EFT has been shown to be 75% effective in treating couples and 90% report significant improvement in their relationship, nearly twice the success rate of other forms of couple’s therapy. In our EFT sessions, you should expect a focus on exploring your relationship dynamics, improving your emotional connection, and creating new and lasting meaning.

I believe that developing a trusting relationship with your therapist is essential. My training and experience have created the fostering of the origins of trauma and how it can affect all areas of functioning. I use trauma-informed approaches and am both a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP), and an Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Certified Therapist. These modalities are instrumental in reducing the effects that long term and chronic tension, trauma, and anxiety can create in our daily lives.

My focus as a therapist is to help others on their journey to self-improvement and symptom reduction. I have extensive experience treating anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, grief/loss, life transitions, parenting, and relationship challenges. I have a strong background in trauma related issues and can incorporate EMDR into treatment. The primary framework from which I operate is based on Attachment Theory. This framework helps to analyze the way we relate and connect to others, since our primary relationships play a vital role to the way we view the world.

Teletherapy for caregivers of persons with dementia. For caregivers, everyday stress is now compounded by the pandemic and disruption of support systems. Many caregivers feel overwhelmed, isolated, depressed, confused or anxious with their responsibilities.

My experience includes working individually with others as well as in groups, consulting with clients, families and fellow colleagues on best ways to support those individuals.

We all have hardship and emotional distress. In such times, it can be difficult to go through it alone. Facing these challenges with someone who guides and supports in a thoughtful way, can help to find deeper understanding. Psychotherapy is a collaborative process. Once a safe environment is provided, people find strength to realize their possibilities and discover their own solutions. One of the important goals of therapy is to activate your capacity for healing from within.

It is my privilege to be of service for healing the whole person: mind, body, and spirit. You may be looking to heal long standing, unresolved issues and need the empathic support of a professional. Perhaps you are seeking to clear energy blocks preventing a deeper connection to your intuition and find traditional therapy unhelpful. You are in the right place. We all go through times where life takes an unexpected turn and there is difficulty navigating it's challenges. We find ourselves feeling stuck, unfulfilled in life, or relationships with others. Allow me to help you get back into the flow of life.

We all have our own unique stories. However, we all share the human experience of facing challenges, difficulties, even trauma, in our lives. It is normal to feel fear, worry, sadness, or grief. But when overwhelming emotions or maladaptive behaviors interfere with our functioning, relationships and general well-being, seeking professional help can be the most significant step toward transforming your life. If you are struggling, know that you are not alone nor must you do so on your own. There is no shame in prioritizing mental health. It takes strength and courage to make this investment and commitment to yourself.

**Currently accepting new clients** I help creative, unique, and motivated individuals from all walks of life on their journey to better themselves and live a more fulfilling life. Depression and anxiety looks different for everyone and dealing with it on your own may leave you feeling worse. Perhaps societal or family pressures have led you to believe that you need to have it all figured out, which has resulted in unsatisfying relationships and self-doubt. You don’t have to navigate overwhelming emotions on your own. Therapy creates a space to hold the conflicting parts of you without judgment in order for you to thrive.

I hope to create a safe therapeutic relationship, where you can be known, seen, and heard. I am here to empower you to tap into your abilities and strengths and help you to create a new path by challenging the barriers. I work with individuals and teens who have experienced trauma, depression, anxiety, substance use, grief and loss, life transitions, and relational/attachment wounds. My experience also includes working with the BIOPIC community, LGBTQIA+ community, first responders, veterans, and addicted family systems. I tailor therapy to my clients individual goals and needs and provide culturally competent mental health care.

Kimmy Hunkle, MA., LMFT (120934), APCC, CCPS, CADC II (A043920317) earned her M.A. degree in Counseling Psychology; Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy, Professional Clinical Counseling & Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara. She is a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist (LMFT), Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC), Certified Clinical Partner Specialist (CCPS) with the Association of Partners of Sex Addicts Trauma Specialist (APSATS), a Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor (CADCII) and EMDR trained. If you are in pain seeking hope or heart healing, I looking forward to your call.

Ana Arellano is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist who is providing services under the supervision of Tatiana T. Melendez, LCSW. Ana earned a Bachelors degree in Psychology from California State University, Fullerton and a Masters in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family therapy from Pepperdine University. Ana has completed her hours working for community mental health clinic where she focused her experience on supporting individuals experiencing a variety of symptoms and provided the understanding of the origin of behaviors, as well as learning coping skills and techniques to encourage clients.

And through it all...there was space to heal. Thank you for being here. It's not always easy to show up for yourself. Therapy can offer a way to process emotions that may be painful or uncomfortable and learn how to cope with overwhelm in a safe + supportive environment. Whatever brought you to this page, I welcome you for taking this step. Whether you are experiencing anxious feelings, stress, overwhelm, sadness, anger, lack of motivation, fatigue, or just generally feeling as if something is off. I encourage you to commit to yourself to explore the parts of you that are in need of tending to.

Are life’s struggles causing you to feel overwhelmed, confused, distressed, dissatisfied, or alone? I can help you find hope and healing, and a way forward. I truly believe the connection between therapist and client is essential to successful therapy and connecting with my clients - is my greatest asset. I do this by providing a caring, non-judgmental, supportive presence and a listening ear. In this safe place, I come alongside adult individuals dealing with Anxiety, Depression, Co-dependency, Elder and Caregiving Issues, Life Transitions, Grief and Loss, Relationship Issues, Self-Esteem, Faith Issues and help them move forward.

As a seasoned therapist, and from my own experience, I’ve learned that we all thrive when we feel seen, heard, and supported. My goal as a therapist is to help you get the most out of life's many challenges by providing a safe, non-judgmental space where you can gain insight into yourself, enhance your relationships, and enjoy a more fulfilling life.

I believe therapy heals from the inside out, cultivates resilience and growth, builds a life of meaning and purpose, empowering one to fully engage with life as their authentic self. In a welcoming, sex-positive, affirming, judgement-free environment, together in partnership with you. I will mindfully customize my approach to meet your unique needs and comfort level, to bring about growth and change that goes beyond relieving distress. What I love about therapy is the journey, being able to help clients identify and enact value driven choices, accomplish goals that promote actualizing the meaningful life in which they envisioned.

It's TIME for your family, relationship, and yourself to heal. Are you doing the same negative mental gymnastics everyday? Do you or your family feel STUCK in the same conflict pattern or are you seeing it again in your new relationship? Are you or your family suffering with anger, self doubts, fear, loneliness, panic, sleeplessness, or lack of motivation? Let's uncover how you may have gotten to this place, learn healthier coping strategies, and understand what might be standing in your way. I offer a practical and relational approach to talk therapy with evidence-based treatments, so that you can find flourishing.