Preteen Therapists in South Pasadena, CA

Emotional and physical trauma, when unresolved, can leave us feeling alone, misunderstood, disconnected and sometimes shamed. It can keep us from forming the relationships we seek and alienate us from the intimacy we might desire. In a non-judgmental way, I engage my clients to help them find meaning and growth through a combination of deep understanding and emotional presence. My approach is attachment-based and focuses on attunement and self-acceptance. When working with couples as well as individuals, I use Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT).

To put it simply, I love people. And what inspires me as a therapist is the opportunity to serve others through authentic connection and collaborative insight into clients' thoughts, feelings and actions. While drawn to cognitive behavioral and Mindfulness interventions, for me, providing a safe, warm and open relational component is key. Whether working with couples, individual adults or adolescents, and issues ranging from anxiety, depression, trauma, or sexuality, intimacy and interpersonal functioning, it is a privilege to hold your confidence and assist you in your journey towards integration and wellness.

Making the decision to start therapy can come with apprehension. I believe your best judgement guided you to search for the right therapist. I have a direct and compassionate style of working with children, adolescents, college students, and adults. I assist clients in reducing anxiety and depression in order to feel confident, achieve a healthier sense of self, and live in accordance to their values. I believe honoring one's intuition is the key to healing- whether that be through play therapy, creative art interventions, or talk therapy. I enjoy helping others explore their identity and to accept various parts of themselves.

I believe that through a compassionate and authentic relationship, therapy is a place where people can grow, foster their unique strengths, and reach their personal goals. I use a collaborative approach so that together, we can explore challenges, and strengthen your ability to cope and problem solve in order to help you reach your goals. I blend a combination of effective and proven evidence-based practices such as EMDR, Trauma Focused CBT, DBT, and other modalities to help my clients work though trauma, anxiety, depression, anger issues, self-esteem issues, relationship issues, and more.

"I don't know what to feel!" The past few weeks have left us all with an overwhelming sense of uncertainty and confusion. The isolation and societal anxiety are a recipe for profoundly undermining our health and well-being; not just physically, but mentally as well. Many of our clients at Aspire are trying to find their new normal amidst sweeping changes to their daily lives. Finding a space to clear your head, feel heard, and create a plan for sustaining balance is a small, but vital, step for staying strong and resilient. Let us help with finding a path through the fog and to reclaim life.

Carl Rogers once said, "The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change" meaning once someone can sense that a relationship is safe, the opportunities for self-exploration and change appear. I believe that once a person is truly seen, it is then that they can blossom into their truest self. My approach with each session is a warm, curious, and open attitude in the hopes that, ultimately, you arrive at a place of self-understanding and peace. I am direct but kind, and offer you alternative ways of viewing difficult situations in your life.

You may have found yourself here because you are feeling overwhelmed by your world, internally or externally. I will help you find some peace. Therapy is a way to intentionally find out who you are, in a world that is constantly trying to define us by what we should be. I value a client/therapist relationship that is dynamic, where we work collaboratively to create therapy that is right for you. I provide a meaningful space for you to explore what challenges are present in your life. As you share, you will be met with compassion, curiosity, and acceptance as you work towards a greater sense of ease in your life and relationships.

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.

I work with clients who are struggling with a variety of difficult life experiences and who are interested in feeling more comfortable, aware, and aligned in their bodies and in the world. I support adults, adolescents, and couples as they move through major life transitions and encounter feelings of shame, grief, anxiety, fear, depression, and low self-esteem. Together, we follow what feels significant, shine a light on well-worn patterns, and gently experiment with new ways of relating to self and others.

I'm passionate about helping adults and teens heal emotional wounds, nurture healthy relationships, and enhance self-esteem. If you tend to overthink, feel unmotivated, or simply struggle to enjoy the present moment, I'm here to help. I provide a space where you can express and sort through unhelpful thoughts and emotions that you may not feel able to process elsewhere. I am dedicated to helping you rediscover confidence and peace within yourself and in your relationships.

Giving you the tools to navigate work, environment, and family is very important to me. Being the best version of yourself is something we can work on together.

We all deserve to feel seen, included, and understood, no matter who we are. As an LGBTQ+ affirmative therapist, my aim is to help you better see yourself in all aspects of who you are, feel more included in relation to those around you, and experience a greater understanding of how you fit into a wider world. Maybe you’re exploring your non-binary gender for the first time. Maybe you’re supporting a transgender family member or partner. Maybe you’re working through relationship challenges as an LGBTQ+ person. Together, we can explore what “seen,” “included,” and “understood” mean for you and how you can achieve them.

As a clinical neuropsychologist, I specialize in the assessment of children and young adults when families have cognitive, behavioral, or educational concerns. The goal of the assessment process is to create a detailed learning profile and care plan to meet the unique needs of each child and family. I believe in treating the whole child, addressing cognitive and social-emotional aspects of their development. My holistic approach ensures that your child receives the most comprehensive care available.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist with 20+ years of experience who specializes in helping families cope with divorce. I also treat trauma victims from the perspective of helping them put the trauma within the narrative of their life, and understanding its' impact. It's important to understand the blueprint that is laid down early in our lives, and how we continue to operate consciously and unconsciously off that blueprint. Cultural differences on many levels are very important to understand and address in therapy. I work with children as well as adults.

“I don’t like how that made me feel.” It’s one thing to realize when someone makes us feel badly about ourselves. And yet, it’s so much more challenging to know what to do next. Let alone if that person is a parent, boss, or authority figure. Or even a friend, partner, sibling, or loved one. Maybe you don’t want to disrupt things with them too much. But you also know what happened wasn’t okay. And you don’t want them to continue treating you that way. Or keep feeling the thoughts, feelings, and emotions that come up when they do. Your needs matter too. You have a right to feel affirmed, supported, and understood.

Thank you for visiting. It means a lot that you’re here. It suggests you’re sensing something in your life isn’t the way you’d like it to be, and that you’ve decided it’s time for change. A professor of mine once said, “All therapy boils down to one issue–I’m stuck.” Sometimes getting going can be the hardest part. You’ve already taken an important first step. If we want things to be different, we must do things differently. You don’t have to stay stuck. I know sometimes life can feel overwhelming. I want to help you discover new perspectives, new possibilities, new ways of approaching challenges and relating to others and yourself.

Something isn't quite right lately! Things feel off and it's time for a change. Whether it's creatively rebooting, overcoming imposter syndrome, feeling more resilient, or navigating a new transition there's a way to change the patterns that aren't working anymore. When stress hits or we feel stuck we tend to revisit coping that doesn't serve us well. We may feel motivated to change, but lost as to the next steps. I work collaboratively with clients who are curious about their struggles and eager to collaboratively problem solve. We work together to uncover the patterns that aren't working anymore and explore solutions.

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.

I believe that psychotherapy is a collaborative process, which occurs in a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship. My work with individuals is psychodynamic and insight-oriented, based on the idea that our sense of self is organized around the primary love relationships of early life, and that "mapping" these emotional experiences allows more freedom from self defeating behaviors and promotes the development of new choices. Integration and and processing early relationships can help one move towards a more conscious life in which you accept your past and are able to move towards a future of your own making.