Therapists Specializing in Substance Abuse in Los Angeles

Choosing to enter psychotherapy can be a difficult process. Finding a therapist you are comfortable with is an important first step. Our work together begins with collaboratively understanding what brought you in and how we will best address your needs.

Psychotherapy can have different goals: it can address a specific problem, like insomnia or anxiety; it can help people discover new ways of coping with difficult emotions or challenging life circumstances such as stress, low mood/depression, relationship problems, and trauma; or it can serve as a space for personal exploration and growth. Usually, it’s a combination of all three. We will work together to create a unique approach that works for you.

Do you feel like you are not enough? Is it as though you are perpetually falling short? Is each day becoming increasingly difficult just to get through? You are not alone.

Using evidence-based therapy, I can help you learn skills to handle difficult thoughts and feelings as well as take action to build the life you want.

Please know that whatever you may be struggling with, you are not broken; you are fundamentally, unconditionally whole, and in possession of everything that is needed to build the life you want. I know reaching out can be hard, but if you are even thinking about it please do.

I believe therapy is a place to explore challenges, connect with feelings, better understand patterns and relationships so you can create the life you want. Therapy is one of the rare places you can do that in a completely safe space and in the presence of someone who is committed to being on that path with you. 

There is importance in understanding someone’s experience and part of the BIPOC community. Raced based trauma affects our functioning, I’m happy to help you work through your trauma.

How I approach treatment varies with each person, depending on their needs.  I see my role as being like a mountain climbing guide: I know how to climb a mountain, what equipment to use, how to deal with ice or rock, when to push forward and when to proceed with caution.  I  always encourage you to tell me how you are feeling in our work together.

I will put your experience into context, so that even seemingly irrational thoughts and feelings make sense. These may include explanations about things such as how the mind works, what makes events traumatic, and what the components of trauma recovery are.  I offer feedback, always checking in to see if it feels right to you.  I “throw the pasta on the wall, and you tell me what sticks.”  Teaching you strategies such as mindfulness, grounding, and communication skills may also be part of our work.

I am a white, cisgender, heterosexual woman, pronouns, she/her, with awareness and sensitivity to culture and race.

You are welcome to contact me for a consultation to see if we’re a good fit to work together.

My mission as a clinical psychologist is to help individuals reduce suffering and achieve purpose in their lives. I view therapy as a teamwork and when I commit myself to working with someone, I am dedicated to collaboratively helping them reach their goals. I strive to provide cutting edge evidence-based treatment, rooted in the latest scientific findings, within a safe and validating space.

My approach to therapy is rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I am committed to evidence-based practice and believe the best step to helping someone change their life is to thoroughly understand what is currently keeping them stuck. As a faculty member, consultant, and researcher, I am dedicated to staying abreast of the most current research. I am comprehensively trained in and currently offer Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (full model, including DBT Skills Group), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Prolonged Exposure, and Cognitive Processing Therapy.

Therapy sessions with me are personalized, compassionate, evidenced-based treatment based in the DBT principle of Acceptance versus Change. My goal is always to create a warm, safe, non-judgmental environment so that you can begin to make the REAL change that can transform your life.

My role is to help guide you towards developing healthier patterns towards yourself & in your relationships. Together, we can explore what is getting in the way of achieving growth & healing by empowering you to embrace vulnerability. We will dig deep to learn what you must accept versus what is in your power to change, being mindful that neither your past nor your future control you. By enhancing the relationship with yourself and others, challenging unhealthy thoughts that create unhelpful behaviors, and developing new and effective coping skills, you will begin your journey to wellness and finding inner peace.

The consistent theme I experience as a therapist is my passion for helping clients work towards their goals & achieve their highest potential. I am continuously amazed by the resilience & strength I see from clients who strive to better themselves, do the hard work in and out of therapy, & make the changes they are yearning to see in their lives. Accompanying you on your journey to recovery, peace, & wellness is my greatest privilege as a therapist.

I truly understand what it's like to try to do everything well despite everyday frustrations and running on fumes between work and home. I urge you...take that one crucial step forward and give me a call. Let's partner up, build you up and reignite your purpose in life so you can continue doing what you do best!! I'm here with you on this life-long journey to healing.

To give a disclaimer, getting help isn't easy...neither is doing the work to feel and be better. The great news is that I've dedicated my life's work to helping people like us come out of that dark place and begin to see that sliver of hope amidst the storm clouds. Let's do it together and enjoy the transformation.

Modern life seems to have so much uncertainty and sometimes one can get lost. Life can feel like a choppy open ocean. I believe I offer a safe harbor; a weekly reprieve from the massive waves you face in everyday life.
You are the captain of your experience, your voyage of life, and the destination you are in search of. I am here to be of assistance in your quest to find the treasure you already are.

Therapy is a challenging and empowering journey that helps you face yourself and others, build resilience, grow, and find greater fulfillment and joy. A supportive connection and nurturing relationship are crucial in this journey, so it's important that you take the time you need to find a therapist who is right for you.  My experience is that when we're getting the right kinds of support, we all have the capacity and innate wisdom to find wholeness and experience a much richer, more fulfilling life.

My basic intention is to support you in being present with your experience—so you can know that you are fundamentally okay—and to help you move toward what really matters to you.