LGBT therapists in Garden Grove, CA

I provide individual therapy to adults and teens. I practice therapy from a place of empathy, nonjudgment, warmth and humor. I believe that each person holds wisdom and unique gifts and talents and that my role, as your therapist, is to reflect the light within you. I have been providing therapy for 20 years and worked in community mental health, as a clinical supervisor, for 14 years before fulfilling my dream of opening my full-time private practice in 2023.

INDIVIDUAL THERAPY - PSYCHOANALYSIS

I invite you to say what you would never say in ordinary conversation. I specialize in anxiety, depression, difficult to describe dissatisfaction, work/career difficulties, low self-esteem, sexual problems, imposter syndrome, men's issues, creative blocks, sexual abuse, religious/cultic/satanic trauma and relationship issues.

After graduating from New York University with a BFA in drama, I moved to Los Angeles and taught drama and English literature at an L.A. public high school for nearly 20 years. My experience working with teenagers and their families taught me that, all too often, kids' barriers to learning are not academic in nature, but rather emotional challenges stemming from adversity and trauma. I became more and more interested in learning how to help teenagers and adults alike navigate these obstacles and come out stronger in the long run. So, I went back to graduate school to pursue a new career as a therapist so that I could help in a different way. My training and experience has focused on treating anxiety disorders (including OCD), PTSD and Complex-PTSD, and also couples - helping them to navigate challenges and triggers so that they can reset and reconnect.

My expertise is in child and adolescent anxiety reduction, OCD, autism and ADHD. My goal is to provide education to kids and their parents about anxiety and related and co-occurring conditions. I also frequently treat phobias, separation anxiety, emotion regulation issues, school refusal, learning disabilities, trauma, giftedness and 2e.

I am also experienced in helping adults and children navigate issues related to divorce including coparenting, custody planning, divorce navigation from considering separation (discernment) through divorce mediation/proceedings to post judgment. I also have expertise in helping adults navigate post separation abuse, domestic violence and coercive control.

I specialize in working with teens, young adults, and adult individuals. I work collaboratively to explore the underlying negative patterns that cause you to feel stuck. Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, depression, ADHD, relationship challenges, grief, or life transitions, therapy can be a powerful space to gain insight and feel less alone.

I've always been fascinated by the resilience of the human spirit. If you are working through what happened without judgment and identity what could help you keep going.

The focus is to help individuals heal, energize, and become aware of their inner strengths. I achieve this by providing a neutral safe space, listening to your concerns, and customizing a treatment plan. I help individuals focus on the Solution.

I'm a licensed psychotherapist with 34 years of experience. I do my best to meet you "where you are" and to offer compassionate presence as you progress through your personal process of self-discovery, self-identification, and evolution.

I'm honored to be part of your journey of transformation. I approach sessions in collaboration, as you learn to free yourself from judgment, criticism, and pain; to change negative perceptions that do not serve; and to experience more ease and peace in life.

I provide a safe, non-judgmental space to process your experiences. We’ll dig deep and get “real.” My approach is collaborative and depth-oriented – I don’t just sit back and nod and smile. I’ll go deep with you and empower you to create healthy boundaries in relationships that will ultimately increase your confidence and allow you to live the life you want to live, free of people-pleasing.

I believe some of the strongest people are the ones carrying burdens that nobody else can see.

As an Army veteran, husband, father, and therapist, I understand that life can ask a lot of us. Many of the people I work with have spent years being the dependable one, the problem solver, or the person everyone else leans on. From the outside, they may appear to be doing fine. On the inside, they are exhausted, overwhelmed, or struggling to make sense of experiences that continue to affect them long after they happened.

My role is not to tell you how to live your life. It is to help you better understand yourself, identify what is getting in the way, and build practical tools for moving forward.

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and EMDR-trained trauma therapist who works with adults navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, life transitions, and personal growth. I provide therapy in both English and Spanish and strive to create a space where clients feel respected, supported, and challenged in ways that promote meaningful change.