Grief counselors and therapists in Lake Forest, CA

Whatever you are struggling with, you don't have to work through it on your own. The answers are within reach and therapy can provide a meaningful way to heal and connect.

I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist providing online telehealth and outdoor therapy, including Walk and Talk therapy. I am also a Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist and a certified Advanced Grief Counseling Specialist.

I support adults and adolescents navigating:

• Complex, single-incident, and developmental trauma

• Anxiety, depression, stress management, and work-life balance

• Grief, loss, and life transitions

• Domestic violence and women’s issues

I am a dedicated and compassionate Licensed Clinical Social Worker with extensive experience guiding individuals, children, and families through life’s most complex challenges. My practice is built on a trauma-focused lens and a relationship-based approach, meaning I prioritize creating a safe, secure therapeutic bond to foster true healing. I believe in addressing wellness holistically, looking at how your mind, body, relationships, and environment interconnect to impact your overall well-being.

Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of working with diverse populations including extensive practice experience in public and private school settings, and private practice experiences within the hospital Emergency Room, Home Health agencies, Community Mental Health clinics, and Infant/Toddler and Early Child Development.

I offer specialized expertise in navigating the unique transitions of Maternal/Infant Mental Health, supporting Veterans, military-connected families and First Responders utilizing Holistic treatment modalities, addressing adult relationship challenges impacting health and emotional well-being, and supporting adolescent mental health including providing Wellness Coaching to Elite Junior athletes in issues impacting varying emotions associated with their performance including motivation, focus, performance anxiety, depression, maladaptive perfectionism and burnout.

I hold a Psy.D. in Organizational Management and Consulting from Phillips Graduate Institute in Encino, CA., MSW and MPH degrees from UC Berkeley, in Community Mental Health/School Social Work and Social Work Administration/Maternal and Child Health and a B.A in Psychology from UC Berkeley. I have a Pupil Personnel Credential (CA) and received a Parent/Infant Mental Health Certificate from Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, CA.

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.

I am a bilingual (English/Spanish) licensed mental health professional and clinical supervisor with more than 18 years of experience supporting individuals across the lifespan. I provide telehealth services to clients in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Texas, and Virginia.

My experience includes working with children, adolescents, adults, and older adults. I believe that each person brings unique strengths, abilities, and experiences to their journey, and I strive to create a supportive, compassionate, and collaborative space where you can feel heard and understood.

My goal is to work alongside you to navigate challenges, build on your strengths, and develop practical tools to support your mental health and overall well-being. I look forward to supporting you on your journey toward greater health and wellness.

Currently accepting new clients.

You’re the one who holds it all together. On paper it’s working — the career, the relationships, the discipline. Underneath, you’re anxious, tired, and disconnected. Intellect, stamina, perfectionism and people-pleasing may have gotten you far — but now its part of a pattern that keeps you stuck.

I see driven, self-aware adults who are often the most capable person in the room despite (and because of) their bodies holding patterns of high-functioning anxiety, trauma, and depression.

The pattern lives within your nervous system — so this work includes the mind, body, and environment. Yes, we will explore your patterns & why they exist, AND we’ll notice them in your body, in real time. Coherence, parts work, Brainspotting, ART, EFT- different tools, one principle: change consolidates through experience, not just explanation.

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