Brandy Engler, PsyDDr. Brandy Engler (PSY 22512) is a clinical psychologist specializing in relationships and sexuality, addiction and anxiety. Dr. Engler is an active, engaged therapist who tailors therapy toward a client's unique needs. Therapy may include gestalt-relational, psychodynamic and cognitive-mindfulness based techniques.
Dr. Engler has published two books of essays on psychotherapy, The Women on My Couch and The Men on My Couch ( Berkley Books). You can read reviews, interviews, commentary, and articles about Dr. Engler in: Men's Health, Women's Health, The Times of London, Cosmopolitan Magazine, The Good Men Project, New York Post, The Irish Examiner, Redbook, Whole Life Times, xojane, Men's Health, Glamour, Brides, Vanity Fair Italia, Women's Health, Buzzfeed, The Atlantic Magazine, Madame Figaro, The Huffington Post and O Magazine. 
Amy Kaufman, LMFT
Amy Kaufman is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT 88869) who approaches therapy from a creative and strength-based perspective. She specializes in anxiety, depression, dual diagnosis/substance abuse, eating disorders, and identity issues. Amy works with adults, couples and teens. Amy's treatment approach blends person-centered with feminist and narrative therapies, always leaving room for laughter. A native Angeleno, Amy graduated from Pitzer College with a BA in sociology, and received her MS in psychology from Cal State Long Beach. She is consistently humbled and amazed by the resilience and determination of her clients. Rachel Shimoni Simons, MFT Rachel Shimoni- Simons specializes in issues related to past trauma, self esteem, life transitions including marriage and parenting, post partum depression and post partum anxiety, pregnancy loss, and generalized anxiety and mood disorders. Rachel firmly believes in taking a collaborative strength based approach with clients and empowering them to identify solutions. While drawing from experiential, cognitive behavioral, and post-modern theories, Rachel believes in tailoring therapy to each individual client's strengths and challenges. Rachel is a certified facilitator of both the Parent Project program and the Nurturing Parenting program. Rachel received her Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University's Graduate School of Education and Psychology, and she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego. 
Grenda David, LMFT, MBA
After spending twenty years climbing the ladder to become a corporate CEO, I found myself disillusioned and in deep questioning about what this life is all about. My search propelled me toward working with children who had been abandoned in the streets of India, and ultimately a personal calling to become a therapist. My life’s journey inspires my work. Growing up in an alcoholic family, I’ve healed my own addictive patterns with food and maintain a fifteen year weight loss of more than 100 pounds. I’ve successfully navigated divorce and co/step-parenting, and enjoy working with couples/families who want to do the same. I work with couples struggling with low libido and have years of experience working with male sexual dysfunction at southern California's largest urology clinic. I have advanced training in trauma with the Los Angeles Institute and Society of Psychoanalytic Studies. I have served as President of two non-profit boards and in executive leadership positions for non-profits, universities and healthcare companies. 
Chauney Peck, LMFT
Chauney Peck is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT 103576) and Registered Art Therapist (ATR 17079) specializing in trauma, grief and loss, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. Chauney’s approach to therapy is straight forward and directed towards the issues that bring you into therapy. She believes in creative expression, imagination and metaphor as useful materials for therapy. Chauney strives to help her clients develop authentic self-expression and healthier communication styles at work and in relationships. She uses a strengths-based approach that combines techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy, art therapy, psychodynamic theory, and mindfulness. Prior to becoming a therapist, Chauney practiced as a visual artist and taught art to children. Her years of experience with studio art offers a special sensitivity to issues faced by creative professionals such as writers, artists, and actors. She enjoys working with families and teenagers and exploring issues surrounding culture, race and identity. When she’s not in the office, Chauney enjoys yoga, gardening, and hiking. 
Aaron Krikorian, LCSW
Aaron Krikorian is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW 82428) specializing in individual therapy for those struggling with anxiety, addiction, complex trauma, and relational issues. He tailors therapy to the unique, individual needs of each client and believes strongly in using the therapeutic relationship as a tool to inspire reflection, growth, and insight. He approaches therapy predominantly from a psychodynamic perspective, but also incorporates cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness strategies with clients as needed. 
Stephanie Sandoval, AMFT
Stephanie Sandoval is an Associate Marriage & Family Therapist (AMFT 106449) who provides individualized and integrative therapy for adults and adolescents. She specializes in anxiety, depression, grief and loss, sex therapy, sex addiction, emotional management, self-esteem, eating disorders, social anxiety, trauma and PTSD, and self-expression and creativity. Her treatment approach with clients is unique and collaborative, blending in elements from different techniques and tailoring their treatment according to each individual’s needs. Stephanie is experienced at incorporating psychodynamic, client-centered, humanistic, gestalt, existential, cognitive and dialectical behavior, and mindfulness-based approaches. Stephanie is accepting, empathic, and compassionate. She will meet you wherever you’re at in life and provide a safe, therapeutic environment for health, healing, and recovery. Stephanie is supervised by Brandy Engler. 
Sam Zia
Sam Zia (LMFT 106352) is a Marriage and Family Therapist, specializing in sex therapy, anxiety, depression, as well as working with survivors of abuse. Sam creates a safe environment, to allow for a free expression of feelings, without fear of judgment. Sam’s treatment approach includes elements of CBT, Narrative therapy, Psychodynamic, and Family systems. Sam graduated in 2011 from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, with an MA in Clinical Psychology, specializing in Marriage and Family Therapy. Sam is AASECT-trained, and is an active member in the sex positive community. Sam also hosted Playboy Radio’s The Couch on Sirius/XM, helping anonymous guests address their sex/relationship issues. |
Cymbeline Smith, MFT
Cymbeline Smith is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT 79658) who values the individuality of each patient and their needs within the context of universal human fears, existential and terrestrial. If you’re tired of the old tapes in your head, you will be able to address this in session. With seven years of experience working as a therapist with adolescents and adults, Cymbeline most recently has been a program director at Center for Discovery, Beverly Hills for eating disorders and La Ventana Treatment Programs, Encino for dual diagnosis. In her private practice Cymbeline has specialized in individual & couples therapy. Her previous career as an actress in England with the Royal National Theatre and then co founding her own all-female production company has helped to create a fundamental understanding of the entertainment climate here in Los Angeles. Rachel Brousseau, LMFT Rachel Brousseau is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT 95090) and Registered Drama Therapist (RDT 552). She believes in the power of connection, empathy, and creativity to help individuals and couples struggling to manage relationships, life transitions, stress, anxiety, depression and fears of success, failure and rejection. Rachel enjoys helping clients to discover their possibilities and hidden strengths. Her treatment approach with clients is individualized and integrative incorporating narrative, psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral and mindfulness-based approaches. Rachel has additional training in maternal mental health and parenting to help mothers and couples who may be struggling with the challenging adjustment to parenthood, postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety. Rachel also utilizes expressive arts therapy to help clients connect through personal symbolism, metaphor, art, music, and enactment in a compassionate and non judgmental way that honors the process of personal exploration. Rachel has found that clients from diverse backgrounds with varied challenges and abilities enjoy engaging creatively as it allows space for healing that can be difficult to access with words alone. 
Shari Lee, MFT S Shari is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT 50268) who approaches therapy from a creative and collaborative perspective. She has extensive experience working with a diverse population of individuals and couples struggling with Anxiety, Depression, Grief and Loss, Relationship Issues, Trauma, Substance Abuse and Recovery as well as Creative Blocks. Shari received her master's degree in psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. She received two years of additional training in Jungian Psychology at the CG Jung Institute of Los Angeles where she presented talks on the relationship between art and psychology. She most recently completed Level 2 Training in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, which is a body-centered approach to Trauma Recovery and Relationship Issues. Both approaches explore the ways in which conscious as well as unconscious thoughts, feelings, and behaviors can impact our life choices. In her prior work as a visual artist and arts educator in many settings throughout Los Angeles, Shari learned that the creative process often begins with an idea of what one wants to see, but often struggles to render. By working with the image in a step-by-step way an interactive dialogue with the image can emerge and more meaningful alternatives often unfold. Shari believes that undertaking therapy is a similar process. By cultivating new insight into difficult thoughts and feelings, and developing new tools for working with limiting habits and patterns, the capacity to imagine and create more of what we would like to see and be is made possible. Shari brings warmth and curiosity to each individual’s unique process of discovery at a pace that is specific to you. 
Jillian Clark, LMFT
Jillian Clark is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist ( Lic # 104385). Jillian specializes in working with both individuals and couples. Jillian uses CBT and other evidenced-based therapies for anxiety, depression, trauma and addiction. She also enjoys exploring identity, creativity and life transitions. Jillian graduated from Pepperdine University and currently serves as Director of Clinical Services at St. Anne's Hospital. 
Lara Sayles, LMFT
Joanna Walling, LMFT
Joanna is a bilingual (English/Spanish) licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT #99933) who specializes in anxiety, depression, grief and loss, trauma, interpersonal relationships and creativity. Joanna believes in a direct, empathic approach to psychotherapy, borrowing practices from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Depth Psychology. Joanna is passionate about helping clients return to a sense of personal balance, mind, body and soul. She focuses on integrating client-centered psychotherapy with cognitive neuroscience to build emotional tolerance and wellbeing with the support of creative flow. Practicing since 2012, Joanna enjoys working with adolescents, adults and couples. She trained in non-profit community mental health counseling, serving marginalized communities living with severe mental illness. In addition to practicing therapy, Joanna facilitates learning at Pacifica Graduate Institute’s Counseling Psychology department and Relativity School as Adjunct faculty, Thesis Advisor and Research Instructor. Joanna received her MA in Counseling Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute and her BA in Art from UC Santa Cruz. In her free time, Joanna enjoys exploring nature through the practice of photography, writing and meditation. Shannon Amabile, MFT Shannon works with creativity, life purpose, transitional cycles of life, anxiety, depression, relationship issues (single or coupled), social skills and sex and sexuality. With a background in performing arts, Shannon is passionate about supporting the unique emotional stresses that creative individuals, couples and families undertake working in entertainment. In addition to her mental health work, Shannon is also co-chair of the Los Angeles chapter of GLSEN, a national organization that works with educators, students and families to ensure safe and affirming schools for LGBTQ youth. |
Sarah Goldberg, MFT
Sarah Goldberg is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT 47032) specializing in individual and couples therapy working with artists, creatives, teens, trauma, and addictions. She maintains a private practice in Los Angeles, CA. With over 10 years experience as a marriage and family therapist, and as a graduate of Antioch University Los Angeles, and California Institute of The Arts, she is currently serving as private practitioner working with a broad spectrum of clients. Among her areas of expertise are anxiety issues, depression, creativity blocks, addictions, sex and relationship issues and love and sex addiction. Sarah is an interactive, solution-focused therapist. She integrates complementary methodologies and techniques to offer a highly personalized approach tailored to each client. With compassion and understanding, she works with each individual to help them build on their strengths and attain the personal growth they are committed to accomplishing. 
Erika Moreira, LMFT
Erika Moreira is a bilingual (English and Spanish) Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT 81466) specializing in the treatment of anxiety, depression, trauma, and relationship issues. Erika's approach to therapy is action-oriented and solution-based. As a therapist and visual artist, she recognizes the value of creativity in the therapeutic process as a vessel for conscious reflection and action. Erika integrates traditional talk therapy with mindfulness-based practices and research-driven art therapy techniques. Erika has extensive experience in providing trauma-informed care and strength-based therapy to individuals and families of diverse culture, education, and economic backgrounds. 
Layla Ashley, LMFT Layla Ashley is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT 40157) with 20 years of experience. Layla specializes in depression, anxiety, trauma, relationships/break-ups/dating, couples therapy, life-purpose, overcoming creative and sexual blocks, grief/loss, and building self-esteem/assertiveness. Layla also holds Certifications as a Clinical Hypnotherapist, Life Coach and Neuro-Linguistic Practitioner, and works on both conscious and unconscious levels to facilitate powerful, lasting change. She is grounded in evidence-based methods of changing core beliefs, undesirable habits, pain management, and sleep problems. Layla’s personal mission is to help people explore the true self or ‘gold’ underneath the layers of conditioned experiences that shape our persona. Layla has extensive study in depth psychology and a background in theology and philosophy, and is fluent in working with symbols, archetypes, dreams, spirituality and meaning in one’s healing journey. Layla believes that a connection with a higher sense of purpose is key to core change and living a fulfilling life. 
Zoe Kahn, LCSW
Zoe Kahn is a licensed social worker and graduate of Smith College. Her therapeutic style is grounded in meditation and mindfulness practices with a focus on goal setting in order to make desired changes in your life. Therapy will build on your strengths and eliminate the patterns that are no longer useful to you. Zoe specializes in relationships, life purpose, creativity, anxiety, addiction and depression using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Relational Therapy and Psychodynamic Therapy as needed. Erika Nanes, LMFT Erika Nanes is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT 101565) who works with adults and couples. She strives to create a warm, accepting atmosphere in which people can reconnect to their strengths. She has trained in several different therapy approaches, including narrative and solution-focused therapy, mindfulness-based approaches, and relational Gestalt, which emphasizes the relationship between the therapist and the client to improve insight into relational behaviors and thoughts. Generally, her sessions involve gentle curiosity about present-moment experience and how that experience has been shaped by messages from other people and the wider culture. While she especially enjoys helping people with creative and academic anxiety, midlife challenges and other life/identity transitions, issues with dating and relationships, and recovery from trauma, she welcomes the opportunity to work with a variety of people and concerns. Before returning to school for her M.S. in counseling (California State University, Fullerton), Erika earned an MFA in poetry and a Ph.D. in English and American literature. Her many years of experience teaching writing on the college level has given her a special interest in the challenges faced by writers, graduate and undergraduate students, and faculty. She has also worked with both students and clients from many different cultural and economic backgrounds and feels that therapy can, and should, help to create a more just and compassionate society. Julie Hwang, PsyD
Dr. Hwang is a psychologist and a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT 53226, PSY license pending). Dr. Hwang specializes in relationships, depression, anxietyand post traumatic stress disorder. Dr. Hwang uses solution focused and narrative therapy to help clients achieve their goals. She is collaborative, compassionate, flexible, and open minded. 
George Walczak, LMFT
I am an LMFT (93992) specializing in individual therapy, couples therapy, therapy for creatives, and for those struggling with anxiety, addiction, complex trauma, relational issues, spiritual bypassing, and grief. Before becoming a licensed therapist, I worked in the entertainment business for many years. My involvement in the industry has given me a unique perspective on the specific psychological challenges faced by creatives in the industry. I meet my clients where they are and strongly believe in the healing power of the therapeutic relationship. I approach therapy predominantly from a present-centered, mindfulness approach but always within the larger context of a psychodynamic/attachment perspective. My therapeutic style is grounded in meditation and mindfulness practices with a focus on helping each client dismantle their habituated, reactive patterns. For those interested in a Buddhist inflected therapy, I bring a deep bench of experience in working at the intersection of western psychotherapy and eastern practices of awakening. 
Peter Balderas
Peter is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (37765) with over 18 years’ experience. Peter has expertise in addressing issues ranging from depression, anxiety, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, bipolar disorder, relationship issues, self-esteem, and coming out. In his work with clients, Peter utilizes a client-centered, Gestalt approach that allows the client to gain increased self-awareness that will lead to change. He also employs a Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy approach that heightens the client’s role in actively participating in setting goals and tracking progress, so that the client learns long-term, healthy coping strategies they can use after therapy ends. Additionally, Peter utilizes Mindfulness techniques to help clients learn to become more present-focused—to truly be more aware and awake in an increasingly distracted world. Peter works with his clients to collaboratively figure out what’s working for the client, what isn’t, and how to help get the client on the road to better mental and emotional fitness. Peter received his Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of Texas at Austin and his Master’s degree in Counseling from Arizona State University. He is a member of the Lesbian and Gay Psychotherapy Association of Southern California as well as the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. |
