I'm Therese,

A California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, mental health

and wellness educator, music enthusiast, and lover of the arts.

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My intention is to support my clients in cultivating deeper awareness,

self-love, and learning or enhancing what makes them feel alive. I offer

gentle and reflective guidance in living more authentically.

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I guide my clients to become clear on what they really want, practice the

courage to move forward even when it's scary, and start to own who

they are. My approach is gentle, joyful, and collaborative. 

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I received my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from USC.

Trained in evidence-based practices such as Cognitive Behavioral

Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and

Seeking Safety, Procovery combined with training in mindfulness, meditation, trauma-informed care, and strength based practices, help

me to effectively guide my clients.

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I became interested in self-reflection and the human mind by doing my own inner-work and desire to find relief as a teen. I was naturally

drawn to self-help books; fascinated by stories of teachers sharing their

life wisdom, felt like a personal therapist at- hand and provided the emotional relief I was seeking. In high school, my friend introduced me

to a healing modality called Theta Healing. We took a workshop

together further exploring our subconscious minds and some of our

core wounds.

 

Studying Psychology and Sociology in college, I felt unclear of what direction to go in post-graduation, but I knew I wanted to work with

others in a meaningful way. My path led me to working at a retreat

center in Upstate New York named Omega Holistic Retreat Center.

For two summers, I explored modalities of healing that encompassed

the mind, body, and soul connection. My purpose became more clear;

to help guide others on their own healing journey. I soon found myself working with children affected by domestic violence, as a counselor for

at-risk teen girls in a group home setting, mentoring student

ambassadors at Pasadena Community College, providing therapy for children, families, and adults in community mental health and for people experiencing homelessness, and facilitating groups at an addiction recovery center. Additionally, being in my own personal therapy has

helped me know what it feels like to be challenged, do the inner-work,

and practice showing up in vulnerability.

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Lastly, I'm passionate about meditation and was formally trained in Transcendental Meditation. I've found meditation helps me become centered in who I am, more able to let go of the things I cannot change, and to better listen to my intuition. In 2023, I attended a Vipassana Meditation, a 10-day silent meditation retreat, to connect with myself in

a deeper way. If you're interested in cultivating a meditation practice, I'd 

be glad to help you naviate.