Addiction therapists & psychiatrists in San Diego, CA

My name is Joey Ritkes (he/him). I have been working as a mental health therapist for over five years. My practice has primarily been specialized in working with LGBTQ+ youth. However, I have worked with couples, families, emerging adults, and adults from all backgrounds. I am a client-centered therapist who enjoys working collaboratively with my clients to meet their goals.

I believe every person is unique with their own story to tell. Working with people is my passion and I bring every tool I have learned both professional and in my own life to meet a person's goals in therapy.

I genuinely like people, have always love to help ,

Will take my clients through the therapeutic process, with empathy and care for their experience in therapy to be a positive one.

I am a board certified, doctoral prepared PMHNP. I completed my post graduate at National University in Adult, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. I earned my DNP from Azusa Pacific University and graduated from CSUSB MSN program. I have been a faculty at CSUSB since 2014. Extensively trained and a certified Trauma-Informed specialist. I diagnose and treat mental disorders including medication-assisted treatment along with counseling for chemical dependency and substance use disorders.

You’ve done the work. You’ve read the books, listened to the podcasts, gone to talk therapy before — and somehow you still feel overwhelmed, STUCK or rudderless. Nonetheless, you are SUCCESSFUL, high-functioning on the outside while struggling with holding everything together FOR everyone else inside ; or even feeling imposter syndrome.

Maybe it's stress and emotional exhaustion, trapped in unexplained patterns, or carrying trauma that still lives in your body no matter how much therapy you've done. Is passing the final exam talking it's toll?

Good news, I specialize in helping people who are tired of just talking about their pain. Whether you are navigating a painful divorce, or carrying deep childhood abuse, or paralyzed by an upcoming licensing exam, I provide a space to finally address and let's CHANGE the cycle.

My Focus is Anxiety: Licensing Exam/test, ADHD, divorce anxiety/trauma, Bipolar I/II, substance/addiction disorders, CPTSD, trauma, chronic pain/health, nightmares, phobias, childhood sexual/physical/emotional abuse, sexual trauma/rape & self identity.

I have EMDR certification work completed and pursuing next level training as an EMDR Consultant because I'm passionate about this work. The work you do today can impact not only your future, but the generations that come after you. We don’t just talk about trauma — we process it at the nervous system level so your brain and body can begin to heal. For EXAM anxiety, we dive quickly into EMDR to process.