Find a Therapist in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

I take an integrative approach to therapy with an emphasis on a client-centered approach to build rapport and meet the needs of my clients. I specialize in working with trauma survivors, anxiety disorders, and relationship-based issues.

One of my greatest joys is guiding women to a place of clarity and fulfillment. As a private practice therapist and coach, I’ve had the opportunity to walk alongside my clients. With an approach rooted in non-judgmental grace and compassion, I’ve helped my clients uncover old patterns of thinking and believing, breaking free from self-defeating mindsets and behaviors. I will guide you in learning tools to let go of past hurts and fractures that have come to define how you interact in current relationships, self-doubt, and mindsets that prevent you from moving forward. Together, we identify unhelpful thought patterns and ways to move forward using concrete strategies and gentle guidance. Each session is tailored organically. Together, we choose areas of focus that make the most sense to you. I will equip you with tools to live in alignment with your values. During your sessions, we will discover areas that cause you to stumble, shed light on irrational beliefs, and highlight any traps of inadequacy keeping you stuck. I create a warm and inviting virtual space where you can feel safe, seen, and heard without judgment. To learn more about my approach and style, please visit my website listed in my profile.

Are you having some difficulties in your life or are you struggling with sadness, stress or other psychological issues? If so, then I am confident that I can help and or find you the assistance that you need. You will see that I am interested in assisting you in meeting your goals and helping you attain a more happy life. I utilize a non-judgmental but direct approach with patients. I can offer you ways to feel happier and more relaxed. I strongly expect success and provide every opportunity to achieve it. Specialties: SadnessDepression, StressAnxiety, Adjustment Issues, Life Changes, and Personal Growth.

I believe in the strength of the person (s) coming to therapy, and their ability to heal themselves with some guidance. If someone is motivated to find assistance in their journey, then they are already half way through the challenge. My clients come to tell their story, both verbally and through the observance and tracking of the bodily sensations tied to the emotions and experiences they've had. I work well with clients who are willing to experience a little discomfort in order to reach a more balanced place in their lives. I use humor, an edgy style, and a supportive tone with my clients. I also offer yoga for stress, trauma, anxiety and depression, both in private lessons and as part of the psychotherapy session. I give individual and group (at yoga studios) Yoga Nidra sessions to increase nervous system regulation.

Life stressors are very high for many people these days. If you are seeking to make sense of why you feel and think the way you do, please feel free to reach out to me. In the first session, I will focus on building a connection with you to understand the reasons for your suffering and work together to help you feel better. Most clients feel a shift and improvement within themselves in the first few sessions. I am a clinical psychologist with an integrative approach. I focus on the clinical relationship and draw upon emotion-centered, dialectical, and cognitive-behavioral theories. I will help you identify areas of suffering, including maladaptive thought patterns and current life stressors, in an effort to help you improve your overall well-being. Sometimes it helps to talk to someone besides your loved ones or friends, someone who will have a more objective and professional look at your situation and problems. These days, many people are said to be more isolated, lonely, and anxious due to circumstances beyond their control. I understand and want you to know that you do not have to feel alone.

• Compassionate and professional advocate for each individual’s needs • Practical. emphatic, goal-oriented approach to counseling. • Provide a safe, encouraging, respectful environment • Assist clients in learning practical skills for gaining new insights and practical skills for maintaining emotional wellness. • Collaborative therapy tailored to best fit the needs and desires of each person. At 56 years old I have plenty of experience to draw from… • Early years spent in corporate America • Experienced the pain of divorce; survived and grew through the experience • Returned to school later in life to obtain my Masters in Psychology (It's never too late to pursue your passion!) • Remarried (happily!) and blended our families; going on 12 years together • Raised three great kids; Made it through the teen years! • Supported family members with issues of Anxiety, Depression and Addiction. • Suffered and grieved the loss of loved ones Through it all, I never lost faith. I grieved at times, picked myself up, studied, learned, and grew from each experience. I have a genuine belief that every person matters and is worthy of love and acceptance, no matter race, sexual orientation, economic or other circumstance. There is a child within each and every person, someone that yearns to be accepted, loved, validated and understood. It is with this mindset that helps me connect with others. I look forward to meeting you!

One of the greatest gifts we have to offer is calm in the midst of chaos. If you are looking for a therapist for you or someone you care about then somewhere there is turmoil. Rarely do we seek help when things are good in our lives. My job is to be the sounding board so that you can process in a safe non threatening environment what is going on in your life that is causing distress. Sometimes the process is to get you unstuck and help you push through a decision that needs to be made. Or, it is to slow you down from being in a reactive phase and then move toward a proactive state. Learning how to pause and recognize the things in which we have control over is a gift because then you can move towards decreasing frustration and anxiety. Learning to focus on your strengths and the strengths of others allows us to experience our world in a more positive manner. It is often difficult to experience what is good in our life when we focus on the bad. And when we know what is good, right, or happy we can do more of it! Leaning mindful techniques will help increase internal and external awareness. Increasing communication skills will help us to connect our reality to others. Please join me in the process...

You deserve to feel empowered. If you're feeling like the weight of the world is just too heavy, and you are struggling to get a handle on things, then you're not alone. Feeling anxious and depressed can be a part of life, but you also have so many strengths that can help you through those times. My role as a drama therapist and professional clinical mental health counselor is to help you recognize those amazing qualities that you most certainly have, and to explore the roles you play in your life, while we practice together how to respond more ideally to those inevitable life stressors. I primarily use drama therapy as well as talk therapy in my work with adults and children. The beauty of drama therapy is that it can look so many different ways, so it can be tailored to each individual in unique ways that serve each client differently. I utilize a humanistic, person-centered approach with the idea that empowered individuals are freer and have better access to choices they feel good about. The founder of psychodrama, Jacob Moreno, believed that everyone plays several different roles in their life and thought that the more roles a person has access to, the healthier they are. People often seek out therapy because one or more of the roles they play in their lives aren't going well. Life is like an ocean with moments of calm and intense stress. I can help you manage those waves and know that they always eventually pass. Together, we can take a deeper look at how your life is "playing out," and we can become allies in helping you feel empowered and ready to surf that next wave.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or carrying pain that’s hard to manage alone, you’re not alone, and you don’t have to navigate it by yourself. I’m Abby, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and I offer a warm, collaborative, and trauma-informed space where you can feel safe, seen, and supported. My approach is personalized and integrative, blending psychodynamic insight with evidence-based practices like eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and trauma-focused CBT. I’ll meet you where you are, honoring your unique story as we work together to process grief, heal from trauma, strengthen relationships, and reconnect with your sense of self.

Do you wonder if you and your partner are growing apart? Do you keep having the same argument, without anything changing? Do you feel like giving up? Sometimes the feelings that bring couples together get lost in the struggles of everyday life. Learn how to resolve conflicts and share feelings without arguing. Use conflict to create deeper intimacy instead of distance. I work with relationship issues almost exclusively in my practice whether it is with couples or an individual who is seeking to improve his or her relationship skills. Counseling helps couples learn to grow together instead of drifting apart. I work with couples and individuals to help them grow together and stay together. I would like to help you and your partner have a loving relationship.

I provide an environment that through support and understanding will motivate significant and positive change in your life. Through honest feedback and discussion, you will acquire the tools necessary to achieve a more positive and fulfilling way of relating to the world around you. There are times in all of our lives when we experience challenges and transitions. While these challenges can be stressful and overwhelming, I believe they also present an opportunity for personal growth and change.