LGBT therapists in Bakersfield, CA

My name is Joey Ritkes (he/him). I have been working as a mental health therapist for over five years. My practice has primarily been specialized in working with LGBTQ+ youth. However, I have worked with couples, families, emerging adults, and adults from all backgrounds. I am a client-centered therapist who enjoys working collaboratively with my clients to meet their goals.

As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I see the world through the lens of relationships. I treat adults dealing with anxiety, depression, relationships, perinatal mental health, childhood trauma, and religious wounds. I believe the work of therapy is in undoing aloneness. I became a therapist because I believe it’s in relationships we are injured and paradoxically, it must be through relationships that we heal.

Welcome and thank you for taking the time to learn more about me. As a licensed therapist practicing in both California and New York, I believe deeply in the inherent resilience and transformative potential within every individual. I earned my Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling from Teachers College, Columbia University. Throughout my clinical practice, I have supported clients across all life stages in navigating complex emotional challenges, including trauma, anxiety, and depression, while empowering them to cultivate healthy, fulfilling interpersonal relationships.

Hello! My approach is centered in the belief that authentic connection with ourselves and others heals. Therapy is an opportunity to dive deep, to develop greater self knowledge, to come into wholeness, accepting and integrating all of our parts and aligning our lives with our Truth and the fullness of who we are. I look forward to the opportunity to support you.

I am a bilingual (Spanish and English) Marriage and Family Therapist with over 22 years of experience working with adolescents, adults, parents, and couples.

I hold a psychology degree from the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California since 1991 and earned a master's degree in Marriage, Family, and Child Therapy from the University of Phoenix in 2008.

My work focuses on strengthening relationships and addressing emotional or mental issues such as depression, anxiety, phobias, trauma, psychosocial factors, life challenges, and personal goals.