Book a therapist or psychiatrist in Santa Maria, CA covered by Cigna

I believe the most meaningful growth happens when we feel safe enough to be our authentic selves. As your therapist, you'll find me to be warm, compassionate, curious, and genuine. I value creating a space where you feel seen, respected, and accepted exactly as you are. My goal is not to tell you who to become, but to help you reconnect with the person you've always been beneath life's challenges.

Pleasure to meet you! My name is Iffy, and I was born and raised in Nigeria. After working in a Psych ER for over 22 years, I decided it was time to be able to treat my own patients. I went back to school and graduated from Brandman University in 2019 with my nurse practitioner degree. Four years later, I love what I do and the patients I treat. I truly believe that with the right work, tomorrow is always capable of bringing you a smile.

My passion is helping individuals find healing, balance, and inner strength. With compassion and care, I support clients as they navigate life’s challenges, building resilience, self-awareness, and emotional well-being along the way.‍I provide evidence-based treatment tailored to each person’s needs, drawing on mindfulness, trauma-informed approaches, and personalized care plans. My goal is to create a safe and supportive space where clients can reconnect with themselves and develop the tools for lasting wellness.

I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and have invested in clinical training as a graduate professor for the past 11 years, helping students move through their education into their careers. In addition to serving as an adjunct faculty member for Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology, I also held the title of Lead Faculty and Faculty Advisor for the University of Phoenix, providing expertise in clinical supervision, assessment, and treatment planning.

I believe therapy works best when it’s grounded in understanding who you are as a whole person. Everyone comes to therapy with their own story, background, and way of communicating, and I take time to really get to know each client as an individual. My goal is to create a warm, non-judgmental space where you feel comfortable being yourself, sharing openly, and feeling genuinely heard and supported as we work through what brought you to therapy.

I hold a Doctorate in Social Work and am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). I’ve been working as a therapist since 2015 and independently licensed since 2018. I primarily work with adults (18+) and support individuals navigating concerns such as anxiety, depression, adjustment challenges, brief grief experiences, life transitions, and women’s issues.

I am a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) with a DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) degree from the University of Massachusetts Global. I have experience working with adolescents and adults in multiple settings facing various complex mental health issues, including OCD, depression, anxiety, ADHD and mood disorders.

I have a Master's Degree in Counseling, Marriage, and Family from Phillips Graduate Institute.

I earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from UCSB.

I typically work with clients who have a history of trauma, life transitions, relationship issues, and managing anxiety, The clients I work with are very motivated to make changes in their lives.

I worked with high-risk, traumatized, and abused youth for many years. I find practicing therapy very rewarding. Assisting my clients to work through life challenges and progress in their life journey is a privilege.