Prenatal and postpartum therapists & psychiatrists in Brea, CA

Hey you, I'm Angie, an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist and supervisor, with more than 15 years experience in the sexuality field, supporting sexuality communities, and teaching others to break the sex and gender boxes we were given. In addition to my professional roles, my own journey towards breaking those boxes uniquely prepared me to sit with you, wherever you are, on this journey.

Have you struggled to find a therapist who you can be completely transparent with in regards to your sexuality or gender? Hidden your identities, desires, and challenges, for fear of judgment, shame or rejection? Sexuality is a challenging topic, one that most therapists don't receive much training around. As a result, even therapists can be afraid to broach sensitive topics, which makes it even harder for you when your mental health, relationship challenges, and overall well-being is so interrelated to your sexual health.

This can include healing sexual trauma or harm, exploring early childhood development and shame, permission giving to different identities, expressions and desires, and creating pathways to your fullest most expansive self.

Topics I'm passionate about include closing orgasm gap, healing sexual trauma, queer love, healing homophobia, gender expansive exploration, non-monogamy and open relating, kink/ BDSM/ fetish exploration, distress of sex workers (whorephobia and stigma) and those who've experienced trafficking, and finding pleasure after religious/ cult repression. I share many of these identities, and always seek to learn how your unique experience informs the distress.

We work together to create a safe container for your diverse and erotic self, learning how to integrate those selves into your relationships and your life. Pleasure is key to mental health and well-being.

I have a Master's Degree in Counseling, Marriage, and Family from Phillips Graduate Institute.

I earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from UCSB.

I typically work with clients who have a history of trauma, life transitions, relationship issues, and managing anxiety, The clients I work with are very motivated to make changes in their lives.

I worked with high-risk, traumatized, and abused youth for many years. I find practicing therapy very rewarding. Assisting my clients to work through life challenges and progress in their life journey is a privilege.

I specialize in helping Women at all stages of life. I have extensive experience working with clients on their relationships. I have additional clinical training in substance abuse, disordered eating, perinatal mood disorders and parenting issues.

You may have held doubts about talk therapy and perhaps are thinking therapy may not work at all for what you are dealing with. Psychotherapy like all science is continually changing. Both new and long held approaches to well-being are vast. I invite you to consider Brainspotting before you rule out therapy entirely. My role as a Brainspotting clinician is to offer you support, as you discover your innate capacity for positive self change. I specialize in trauma focused therapy, specializing in treating anxiety disorders. I focus on various forms of addiction, OCD, behavioral issues, depression, bi-polar and mood disorders.

I am a masters level trained Brainspotting clinician and a U.S. Army veteran. I believe in facilitating change in a supportive environment, following and observing your amazing capacity to heal from trauma in your therapeutic work. I work with veterans, first-responders, and other populations struggling with unresolved trauma and anxiety disorders.

Your unique circumstances are to be understood, honored respected and explored in a judgement free, supportive and caring environment. The issues that you bring into therapy remain entirely up to you. I will listen to your wants and needs; joining you on the journey towards your desired sense of well-being.

I have lived in the Truckee Tahoe area off an on for over 30 years, I have an AA Degree in Early Child Development, a BA Degree from the University of California Santa Cruz, and I attended the University of. Nevada, Reno for my Masters in Social Work.

My husband and I have two grown children who live in Northern CA and Nevada. We are avid skiers, mountain bikers, and my hobbies include cooking, art, writing, and learning, and of course, playing with our mini golden doodle, Joaquin.

My roots are in Scranton, Pennsylvania; growing up, life was challenging and unpredictable for me and my sisters. I was the first member of our extended family who was able to put themselves through both undergraduate (BA - Latin American Studies/UCSC, and graduate school (MSW- Masters in Social Work, (UNR) and graduate with honors.

All three of my younger sisters followed in my footsteps to pursue higher education and to find success as Professionals.

My husband and I moved to the Tahoe/Truckee area together in the early 1990s, pursuing seasonal employment. We somehow made ends meet, things got a little easier each year, and he later pursued a career in resort and business management, while I pursued continuing education, mental health and licensure, and opening up my practice.

Our son and a daughter both grew up enjoyed attending local public schools in Truckee, and later the Univeristy of California; they are both living fulfilling adult lives in the nearby region.

My style as a therapist is best described as engaged, warm, nonjudgmental and creative. I strive to offer a space in which you will feel that anything can be talked about and expressed — nothing is too small or too big. Through our work together you will grow in your ability to tolerate and move through difficult emotions, find meaning in your experiences and relationships and cultivate an inner resilience and flexibility in thinking.

As a therapist my goal is to break the stigma that comes with therapy. I strive to create a collaborative, nurturing therapeutic relationship that can help transform one's pain or uncertainties into one of healing. Life can be difficult and sometimes confusing therefore I want to create a corner where one can feel safe, understood, and free of judgement.

I’m Elba Alvarado, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. My work is rooted in the belief that healing begins in relationships — with ourselves, with others, and with the stories we carry. I hold space for people navigating the quiet weight of expectations, the complexity of identity, and the patterns that shape how we show up in the world.

I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Vanguard University and my Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Azusa Pacific University and I have been providing therapy since 2018.

Some seasons of life ask more of you than you ever expected, and somewhere along the way you stopped feeling like yourself. I work with teens, parents, and adults who are moving through anxiety, depression, grief, relationship strain, and the heavy stretches that come with big life transitions. I care deeply about supporting LGBTQIA+ and transgender clients, and families who want to understand and show up for one another a little better. So much of this work is simply remembering that you do not have to carry any of it alone.

I create a warm environment to work collaboratively on achieving your objectives. I've been a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for over 20 years. I specialize in relationships, anxiety, depression, fears/phobias, couples work, creativity, career enhancement among other goals. I have an eclectic treatment modality including psychodynamic, self-psychology, cognitive-behavioral, hypnotherapy and NLP.