How We Choose an Approach
Most people don’t need to know the “right” modality before starting. In practice, we choose an approach based on what you’re carrying, how your nervous system responds, and what helps you feel safe enough to do real work.
If you’re coming in for trauma and PTSD therapy, we’ll move slowly and prioritize stabilization. If you’re dealing with anxiety or depression, we may blend practical tools with deeper relational and body-based work. If attachment patterns are central, attachment-informed care can guide the process.
The Core Approaches I Use
These are the primary modalities you'll see throughout the site. You don't have to pick one. Many clients benefit from an integrated approach.
- Internal Family Systems (IFS): work with inner "parts" (protectors, critics, younger wounds) with compassion and clarity, rather than force.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): identify thought loops and behavior patterns that keep you stuck, and build practical skills that reduce symptoms.
- Somatic Work: track how stress and trauma live in the body, build regulation, and create change that isn't only intellectual.
If you're unsure where to start, individual therapy is often the simplest entry point, and we can tailor the approach from there.
Why “Nervous-System-Aware” Matters
When your nervous system is activated, insight alone rarely changes anything. That's why the work is paced and relational, so your system can stay present while we explore the patterns underneath symptoms.
This can be especially important during life transitions or after chronic stress, where you may feel functional on the outside but internally depleted.
How This Fits Into Services
Approaches describe how we work. Services describe where that work is applied. These modalities can show up in multiple formats depending on your goals and context.
- Individual Therapy: support for adults, teens, and children navigating overwhelm, trauma, anxiety, depression, and more.
- Couples Counseling: strengthen communication, reduce reactivity, and work through relational injuries.
- Family Therapy: improve dynamics, boundaries, and connection across the family system.
- Online Therapy: consistent support anywhere in California through secure telehealth.
Getting Started
A free 15-minute consultation is available to talk through what you’re looking for and what kind of support fits best. You don't need the perfect words. Just a starting point.
Ready? You can schedule through the appointment page or call (949) 391-9882. Sessions are available in-person at my Mission Viejo office and through online therapy across California.