Grief counselors and therapists in Santa Cruz, CA

Do you carry the weight of your responsibilities home? Does it impact your relationships, your sense of peace, or your ability to recognize yourself beneath the demands of daily life? Growth and healing take courage, and I admire your willingness to prioritize your well-being.

My practice focuses on three areas:

• Individuals in high-pressure helping and public service professions, including first responders and those working in EMS, Fire, Law Enforcement, Corrections, Dispatch, Judicial settings, Healthcare, Mental Health, and Education. My dual Master’s degrees in Marriage and Family Therapy and Trauma & Related Conflict, combined with lived experience, allow me to offer a culturally informed understanding of the unique challenges these roles carry. Together, we address operational stress, strengthen resilience, and support sustainable well-being.

• Adults navigating identity, authenticity, creativity, and life transitions, including LGBTQ+ individuals and those seeking to reconnect with themselves, clarify their values, and build lives that feel meaningful and aligned.

• Older adolescents and emerging adults preparing for graduation and the transition into college, vocational paths, or adulthood as they explore who they are, what matters to them, and how they want to move through the next chapter of their lives.

I bring more than 20 years of experience supporting children, adolescents, young adults, and families from diverse cultural backgrounds. I received my Master of Social Welfare from UCLA, and my work in group homes, schools, and community-based nonprofits has shaped my understanding of how emotional, academic, cultural, and environmental factors influence well-being.

I specialize in working with Latino and bilingual families, and I strive to create a space where clients feel seen, respected, and understood.

Please note that although I enjoy working with couples, I will no longer be able to offer couples therapy due to insurance reimbursement issues.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC II) with over 25 years of experience supporting individuals, couples, and families as they navigate life and the concerns that arise. I specialize in addiction, trauma, and co-occurring mental health challenges. I bring a deep commitment to meeting people where they are in their process. In my practice, I offer a warm, collaborative, and trauma-informed space where clients feel seen, heard, and supported. I believe meaningful change happens when we honor each person’s lived experience and work together toward self-identified goals at a pace that feels safe and manageable. I meet clients where they are, whether they are just beginning to explore change or looking to deepen their healing and personal growth.

I'm an open minded individual and welcome any topics in treatment

I'm Deidre, and for over two decades I've helped people move through some of life's most painful and disorienting transitions — loss, illness, divorce, relationship struggles, aging, and the quiet fears that come with facing mortality. My clients often tell me that what they needed most wasn't advice — it was someone who truly listened, who could help them make sense of what they were feeling and find a path forward. That's what I'm here to do!

Pamela Hughes received her Undergraduate Degree in Psychology and her Masters Degree

in Clinical Psychology from Vanguard University, Costa Mesa, California.

Pamela has worked with individuals, couples and families improving their relationships

using the Collaborative Communication Skills as an Instructor. Pamela specializes in Addictions, ADHD, Family Systems and Hoarding.

I am a Latina EMDR therapist who uses compassion to guide my patients through healing areas in their lives where they are feeling stuck. My patients are often working through trauma, grief, or unhelpful beliefs about self, others, or the world that can manifest into anxiety, depression, interpersonal conflicts, and/or PTSD. I also offer Individual and Group EMDR Consultations to clinicians looking to become Certified in EMDR Therapy. Se habla español.