Trauma and PTSD therapists & psychiatrists in Laguna Beach, CA

I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in Berkeley, California. I work with adults navigating trauma, anxiety, emotional overwhelm, life transitions, relationship patterns, and the lingering effects of difficult or painful experiences. Many of the people I work with are thoughtful, high-functioning, and insightful, yet still find themselves stuck in patterns that feel hard to shift alone.

My background includes training in EMDR, somatic and attachment-focused therapy, parts work, and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. I earned my Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from The Wright Institute. I also bring a mindfulness and body-based perspective to therapy through years of yoga and meditation practice.

My style is warm, collaborative, and depth-oriented while still practical and grounded. I especially enjoy working with complex trauma, highly self-aware clients, neurodivergent clients, and people who want therapy that goes beyond coping skills alone.

What patterns keep repeating in your life, even when part of you wants something different? I work with infants, children, adolescents, adults, and seniors, with a particular focus on experiences that are hard to put into words: the quiet accumulation of feeling disconnected or unseen, questions around adoption and family origins, infertility, the emotional weight of becoming a parent, and the grief that comes when life takes an unexpected shape. A lot of what brings people to therapy is not a single event. It builds. I trained at UCLA and bring both clinical depth and genuine warmth to this work.

I believe that meaningful mental health care starts with trust, compassion, and genuine connection. Over the past 15 years, I have worked across a variety of healthcare settings, including trauma nursing, emergency nursing, and nurse leadership roles, caring for individuals and families during some of life's most challenging moments. These experiences have reinforced my belief that every person deserves to be treated with dignity, empathy, and respect.

My commitment to mental health care is also shaped by personal experience. Like many people, I have witnessed the impact of mental health challenges in my own life and among loved ones, which has deepened my understanding of the courage it takes to seek help. I strive to create a welcoming, judgment-free space where clients feel comfortable discussing difficult thoughts, emotions, and life experiences.

Hi I'm Russell. I've been in practice since 1973. I began my professional work in Los Angeles Where I was a Child Welfare Worker in South Central. I found I had a strong affinity for therapeutic work, and I decided to apply for a graduate degree in Social Work. I earned my license in 1979 which has afforded me the opportunity to work with many people.

Hi, my name is Theresa and I have devoted 11+ years of experience to helping individuals and families navigate life’s emotional challenges with compassion and authenticity. Grounded in both professional expertise and lived experience, I bring genuine empathy and understanding to my therapeutic work.