Bipolar disorder therapists & psychiatrists in Santa Barbara, CA

As a Marriage and Family therapist, I take pleasure in helping clients acquire skills to build healthier relationships.

Hi, I'm Ellen, a psychotherapist who treats adults and adolescents 19 and up. I combine psychodynamic techniques with spirituality to create a session that offers both common sense and compassion, and also some creative and fun interventions! I work with anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction, relationships, and more. My approach is individualized to respect you and what you need or hope for in therapy. I am a marriage and family therapist with experience in school, clinic, and private practice.

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.

I have years of practice across clinical, executive, and case management roles. I've worked with adults and older adults navigating everything from decades of unprocessed trauma to the kind of anxiety that makes everyday life feel like an uphill climb. I'm experienced, I'm direct, and I genuinely believe therapy works best when you feel like you're being heard — not assessed.

My approach is eclectic because people are complex. I don't believe in rigid scripts. I draw on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), somatic techniques, and strength-based methods — adapting what's most useful for where you are right now. I accept Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross CA, Blue Shield of CA, Cigna, Carelon Behavioral Health, and more. I offer telehealth sessions throughout California, so no commute required.

I am a licensed marriage and family therapist with over 15 years of clinical experience. I work with clients with a wide range of concerns and identities including but not limited to: depression, anxiety, relationship issues, neurodiversity (ADHD and Autism), and other developmental disabilities, vocational stress, chronic illness, women’s issues, infertility and disability-related work and school-place barriers. I have experience working with individuals from historically underrepresented underserved communities, international clients, interracial couples and families, women, immigrants/refugees as well as the LGBTQIA+ community.

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.

Shana Bujake is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in California. She specializes in working with individuals who are recovering from narcissistic abuse, navigating life transitions, or struggling with relationship challenges and self-worth.

With a strong background in trauma-informed care, she provides a safe, non-judgmental space where clients can explore their emotions, gain clarity, and develop healthier ways of relating to themselves and others. Her work is deeply rooted in helping clients build resilience and create meaningful change in their lives.

I’m a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) dedicated to providing compassionate, evidence-based mental health care in a supportive and judgment-free environment. I work with adolescents and adults experiencing a variety of concerns, including anxiety, depression, trauma, mood disorders, ADHD, OCD, and other psychiatric conditions.

I believe that every individual deserves to feel heard, respected, and understood. My goal is to partner with each client to develop a personalized treatment plan that aligns with their unique needs, values, and goals. Whether you’re seeking medication management, diagnostic clarification, or support through a difficult season of life, I strive to provide care that is collaborative, thoughtful, and centered around your overall well-being.

I recognize that reaching out for mental health support can be difficult, and I consider it a privilege to walk alongside my clients in their journey toward healing, resilience, and lasting wellness.

You may have held doubts about talk therapy and perhaps are thinking therapy may not work at all for what you are dealing with. Psychotherapy like all science is continually changing. Both new and long held approaches to well-being are vast. I invite you to consider Brainspotting before you rule out therapy entirely. My role as a Brainspotting clinician is to offer you support, as you discover your innate capacity for positive self change. I specialize in trauma focused therapy, specializing in treating anxiety disorders. I focus on various forms of addiction, OCD, behavioral issues, depression, bi-polar and mood disorders.

I am a masters level trained Brainspotting clinician and a U.S. Army veteran. I believe in facilitating change in a supportive environment, following and observing your amazing capacity to heal from trauma in your therapeutic work. I work with veterans, first-responders, and other populations struggling with unresolved trauma and anxiety disorders.

Your unique circumstances are to be understood, honored respected and explored in a judgement free, supportive and caring environment. The issues that you bring into therapy remain entirely up to you. I will listen to your wants and needs; joining you on the journey towards your desired sense of well-being.