When pushing through isn’t helping anymore

Individual Therapy for Adults in California

You may be exhausted from trying to keep going while anxiety, self-doubt, relationship stress, or experiences from the past continue to weigh on you. You know something needs to change, but figuring out where to begin can feel overwhelming.

Therapy gives us space to slow things down, understand what has been affecting you, and begin making changes that feel meaningful in your everyday life.

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You may be here because...

You may have become so used to feeling anxious or overwhelmed that it seems normal, even though it is affecting your health, relationships, work, or ability to enjoy your life.

Perhaps you:

  • Overthink conversations, decisions, or things that could go wrong

  • Feel responsible for other people’s needs and emotions

  • Struggle to set boundaries without feeling guilty

  • Question yourself when something does not go as planned

  • Feel behind, stuck, or afraid that you are failing

  • Notice old family or relationship experiences affecting you today

  • Understand your patterns but still have trouble changing them

  • Keep pushing through until you feel exhausted, shut down, or disconnected

You do not need to know exactly what is wrong or arrive with a perfectly defined goal. We can begin with what has been feeling difficult lately and make sense of it together.

There will be sessions when you need to talk about something that just happened. There may also be patterns or experiences from the past that deserve more focused attention. We can make room for both.

Our work may include understanding where certain responses began, noticing how they continue to show up, and practicing new ways of responding to yourself, your relationships, and difficult situations. The goal is not to judge the ways you learned to cope. It is to understand how they helped you and determine whether they are still serving you now.

Over time, therapy can help you:

  • Feel less controlled by anxiety and overthinking

  • Recognize your needs before reaching a breaking point

  • Set boundaries with greater confidence and less guilt

  • Respond to yourself with less criticism

  • Feel safer expressing emotions and asking for support

  • Work through experiences that still feel unresolved

  • Build relationships that leave room for you too

  • Trust yourself when making decisions

Therapy that goes beyond getting through the week

My approach is warm, collaborative, and active. I will take time to understand what you have been carrying, ask questions that help us look beneath the surface, and offer honest feedback without rushing you.

At the beginning of each session, I will ask whether there is something specific you want to discuss. If something in the present needs attention, we can start there. If not, we can return to the goals and deeper work we have already identified.

I will follow up on changes you planned to try, help you work through barriers, and encourage you to notice what happens when you respond differently. We will also revisit your goals so that our sessions remain connected to what you want from therapy.

If I notice that we have moved away from deeper work or that avoidance may be keeping you stuck, I may gently bring it to your attention. We will decide together what feels important to address and what pace feels manageable.

What working together looks like

EMDR is the foundation of my work and often helps us understand how past experiences may be influencing what is happening in the present. When you are ready, we may use EMDR to work through memories, emotions, beliefs, or body sensations that continue to feel unresolved. You will not be expected to describe every detail of an experience.

I also incorporate mindfulness to help you slow down, feel more grounded, and notice what is happening in the present. Practical CBT skills may help you examine thoughts, consider other possibilities, and experiment with different ways of responding. I do not follow a rigid formula. We will use what fits you and adjust as we learn more about what helps.

My approach to therapy

Meeting a new therapist can feel vulnerable, especially if opening up has not always felt safe or helpful. You are allowed to take your time.

I tend to ask several questions during the first session because I want to understand what brought you in and what you would like to be different. Some clients have told me they shared more than they expected because they felt understood rather than judged or rushed.

You do not need to explain everything perfectly. We can start with what feels possible to talk about today.

You do not have to share everything at once

Individual therapy appointments

Standard therapy sessions are approximately 55 minutes.

  • Virtual therapy is available to adults throughout California.

  • Limited in-person sessions are available in Santa Barbara.

  • The private-pay rate is $185 per session.

  • Select Aetna and Providence plans and straight Medi-Cal (fee-for-service) are accepted.

  • A limited number of reduced-fee openings may be available.

Extended EMDR intensives are also available for clients who want more uninterrupted time to focus on a specific experience or concern. Learn more about EMDR intensives.