Overcome your challenges and live your life authentically with an integrative approach to therapy.

Making the decision to begin therapy when you know something in your life isn’t working the way you’d like it to is a brave decision.

We’re living in a society where we’re under a steady stream of pressure — from family, friends, media, our workspaces, and cultural standards — to BE a certain way. 

It’s a bold and courageous act to commit to doing the work of discovering who you truly are and identifying where you’re out of alignment with your genuine truths and desires. I commend you on taking the first step to finding the right therapist to walk with you on the transformative journey ahead.

Hi, I’m Vanessa —

Integrative Psychotherapist in California

I’m a therapist in private practice based in South Pasadena, CA. Using Integrative Psychotherapy and Somatic Experiencing Therapy, I help my clients navigate a variety of mental health challenges and difficult life experiences.

My commitment is that every client who walks into my office feels seen, understood, and met with authenticity.

Some therapists work from one specific methodology or school of thought. That’s not how I work. Integrative psychotherapy is an approach that combines elements from various theories and techniques to create a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to your individual needs.

The main goal of this approach is to account for all aspects of the individual that you are — mind, body, and spirit — with an awareness of the social and transpersonal impact of the systems surrounding you. To learn more about the therapeutic orientations I pull from, click here.

No two people are the same. Although clients may arrive with similar challenges — depression, anxiety, self-doubt and imposter syndrome, or difficulty navigating life transitions or grief — achieving optimal therapeutic outcomes is more complex than simply treating the presenting symptoms. 

Every person brings unique family dynamics, personal history, current stressors, and views of the world and themselves in it. Our individual lived experiences influence the way we perceive, process, and resolve mental health challenges or general discontent with the life we’re leading.

An integrative approach to therapy helps you achieve a sense of congruency within yourself that also reflects in the life you create.

What is Integrative Psychotherapy?

My Integrative Approach to Therapy—

When establishing a therapeutic relationship with a new client, I focus on getting a sense of who you are, what your goals are, and what approaches and techniques are best suited for you. An integrative approach to therapy means there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for all clients.

I draw from a variety of clinically grounded frameworks, techniques, and tools to create an individualized, evidence-based treatment plan best suited for your unique personality, interests, and desired outcomes. 

I believe the best therapeutic outcomes are facilitated by incorporating all aspects of the human that you are — mind, body, and spirit.

I work with individuals and couples using an integrative approach to therapy.

New clients come to me with a variety of issues they want to work through. Maybe you’re experiencing similar challenges…

  • You’ve accomplished all the things that were expected of you, but internally you struggle with a nagging fear that you’re somehow not good enough — or conversely — you’re too much

  • Having difficulty navigating the big transitions in life whether it’s stepping into motherhood, balancing family and career obligations, watching your kids go out into the world on their own, or embracing the aging process

  • The fear of the unknowns in life feel paralyzing 

  • You struggle to find and use your voice — in your career, your family, or your intimate relationships

  • The grief associated with the loss of a loved one, a deeply held dream, or simply the way you thought life was supposed to be feels like it’s consuming you

  • You feel disconnected from your partner, your community, or yourself and don’t know what the invisible barrier is that keeps you from fully engaging

How an Integrative Approach to Psychotherapy Can Help You Achieve Your Goals

It’s not easy to acknowledge that something isn’t working in your life and make the decision to do something about it. If that’s where you’re at, I see your courage and am excited for your journey ahead. Having the willingness to go deeper intellectually, emotionally, and somatically in an effort to better understand yourself and renegotiate the challenges you’re facing may feel scary. 

But it’s doing the scary, deep, transformative work that clears a path to wholeness, fulfillment, alignment, purpose, and meaning. And you won’t be in it alone. 

Yes, you will probably confront the parts of yourself that you believe to be unlovable and problematic. Maybe there’s unprocessed rage hiding beneath perfectionism and people-pleasing behavior — and that can be hard to look at. But imagine approaching those “undesirable” parts of yourself with curiosity and a desire to understand how they came to be. What would it feel like to relate to them differently and start to mend and repair the wounds that generated them?

I’ve sat with clients who’ve come into therapy with those challenges and more… Only to find themselves eventually reflecting on the levity, playfulness, and ease with which they can now navigate life where previously lightheartedness was completely inaccessible. I see people who felt hopelessly stuck in lives that made them miserable transform their lives. Stepping into motherhood with excitement, moving to places they only dreamed of, building careers they love, and redefining who they are. 

That is what’s possible when you’re willing to do the work, and it’s my honor to walk through it with you.

My Style As An Integrative Psychotherapist

I bring genuine warmth, humanity and relatabilty to my practice. Cultivating trust and safety in my client-relationships is my first priority. In sessions I am highly engaged with my clients, actively listening and often feeling WITH you while trying to simply BE with whatever arises. 

My aim is to meet you exactly where you’re at and assist you in working through your challenges at a pace you’re comfortable with. 

It is the profound human connection that occurs through compassionate, congruent, & insightful therapy that most moves me. Through the practice of whole-hearted authenticity as well as the therapeutic relationship itself, my hope is that you feel empowered, resilient, fulfilled, and genuinely supported when facing the depths of life.