I practice play therapy for children, adolescents, and even adults, as an opportunity for them to heal themselves. By offering a safe space to express their free choice, they are empowered to make decisions, direct the play, and take responsibility for their choices. The available toys give them [...]
Gender identity is a spectrum that describes to which degree a person perceives and recognizes their inner knowledge and outer expression of gender. Generally, this is the consistency between anatomical sex and the person’s internal maleness or femaleness or combination or neutrality. There are [...]
It’s my responsibility as a mental health professional to remember the history of the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic manual. Sexual orientation and identities were considered diagnoses that came with stigma and suffering. Homosexuality was considered a diagnosis until 1973, and [...]
Social expectations of being the perfect parent can be overwhelming. It’s common to feel useless over the thought of not being able to cope with your new responsibilities, or hopeless when the natural motherly feelings you expected aren’t present. Women and men across all socio-economic [...]
Life is a process of constant change. Sometimes, major life transitions can throw us out of balance to the point where we lose access to some important aspects of our experience, we lose our sense of grounding and routines, or we disrupt our connections to others. Very brief, highly targeted [...]
Humans experience stress as a natural reaction to meet a demand or challenge. This “fight or flight” survival mechanism slows normal bodily functions like immunity and digestion to focus on breath, alertness, blood circulation, and muscle movement. The degree to which we react can be [...]
Intimate bonds are vital to happiness and well being. By feeling isolated from others physically or emotionally, the feeling of loneliness may creep in and overtake your happiness. It’s common to be physically close to others, yet lonely, because there is no intimacy, trust, or connection, or [...]
Your parenting decisions have a tremendous impact on your child’s emotional and social development. Their belief systems are modeled by your example, and they will pick up moral values, discipline, and manners from what they see. It’s vital that parents give their children a healthy basis for [...]
Humans learn habits, customs and rituals, vocabulary, perception of the world, how to interact with others, and how to love from their families. The goal of family therapy may widely differ, depending on your family dynamics, and ultimately aims to develop and maintain a functional family unit. By [...]
How much does your relationship mean to you? What would you do to save it? Joint therapy sessions for partners or married couples can resolve current issues, provide a check-up during a transition period or influx of stress, to prevent an exacerbation of issues, or solidify your relationship. The [...]
Greater Los Angeles Area
Tel: (909) 723-3887