Book a therapist or psychiatrist in El Segundo, CA covered by Cigna

When working with clients, I strive to make the therapy experience respectful and genuine. Everyone's journey to personal resilience is unique and there is no one size fits all solution. My approach is flexible and client centered. I often explore childhood attachment issues which can assist the client in achieving sustained emotional growth.

Having been in therapy myself, I've experienced firsthand its positive impact, helping me overcome my anxiety and equipping me with practical tools I still use today. I understand that repeatedly answering 'How does that make you feel?' can be frustrating. Drawing from my personal experience both as a therapy client and practitioner in a treatment center setting, I bring energy into my sessions and build momentum to help clients get unstuck and face their Anxiety & OCD with confidence.

I’m a licensed marriage and family therapist with a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy. I also hold a degree in Mind-Body Psychology and am trained in clinical hypnotherapy. Before becoming a therapist, I spent over a decade working in digital marketing, which gives me unique insight into the stressors of fast-paced careers, identity development, and the challenge of balancing ambition with well-being.

I’ve worked with a diverse range of clients, including women navigating heartbreak or life transitions, professionals seeking purpose, and individuals healing from trauma, anxiety, or people-pleasing patterns. I’m passionate about helping people live with more intention and emotional freedom.

Therapy is personal, and I do my best to meet people where they are—with curiosity, compassion, and care. As someone who’s done a lot of personal healing work myself, I understand how vulnerable it can feel to ask for help. My goal is to create a space where you can be real, be seen, and make meaningful changes at your own pace.

Hello and welcome to my psychotherapy practice. My name is Matthew and I have been practicing as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in San Francisco and Los Angeles for over twenty years. I honor diversity and inclusion and provide a curious, non-judgmental space for reflection, healing and transformation. As a therapist, I bring a mix of pragmatic feedback and practical skills development to empower my clients to grow and change. As an Attachment-Focused EMDR therapist, I support clients with PTSD and interpersonal trauma to heal and become more present. I hold a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology and Drama Therapy from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco and I serve individuals, couples, families, youth, and the LGBTQ community.

I love mental health. I love listening to people and diving into the challenges my clients face on a daily basis. I am humbled with the invitation to join your journey, and help you learn how to help yourself. We all have the tools to undertake the obstacles that we encounter; sometimes we need someone to help us take a step back to find a different perspective. I appreciate the bravery and courage that it takes for each of my clients to let me into their lives and become vulnerable with me.

Richard Perez is a Board Certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. For over 15 years, he has dedicated his career to serving the healthcare needs of Long Beach and Los Angeles County. Richard wants to continue improving the lives of each patient by providing professional, compassionate, and person-centered care.

Richard has spent the last two years providing mental health care to underserved populations. This experience has significantly sharpened his clinical skills, which he now aims to bring to the general patient population.

We all reach seasons of life that feel bigger than what we expected to carry.

Maybe becoming a parent has felt more overwhelming than you imagined. Maybe your baby spent time in the NICU, and life after coming home hasn't looked the way you thought it would. Maybe you're a new dad trying to find your footing, feeling anxious, disconnected, or unsure of where you fit. Maybe you're worried about your child's development, or maybe you're navigating anxiety, relationship challenges, or a major life transition of your own.

I work with children, adolescents, adults, and families, with specialized experience supporting early childhood mental health, developmental differences and neurodiversity, pregnancy and postpartum, and families navigating NICU stays and medically complex journeys.

Whatever brings you here, my goal is to help you better understand what's happening, feel more confident moving forward, and create meaningful change that lasts beyond the therapy space.

I work collaboratively to explore patterns that may leave you feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected from yourself. Whether you’re navigating anxiety, depression, ADHD, relationship challenges, or life transitions, therapy can offer space to gain insight and create meaningful change. I specialize in working with those who overthink, worry, people-please, struggle with boundaries, or put others’ needs first. Therapy can help you better understand these patterns, develop a stronger sense of self, and build practical coping skills.