Welcome. 

​I'm a marriage and family therapist practicing in Hermosa Beach, CA. 

A little about my background... I started my career in telecom and information technology, both in corporate settings and in the crazy start-up world. My lifelong interest in psychology really took off when my kids were young. Fascinated by the development of their little brains and minds, I began reading endlessly on the subject and in 2006 took a leap from corporate life and entered a master's program in clinical psychology at Antioch University Los Angeles. After completing my degree I trained at Airport Marina Counseling Center in Los Angeles, the Boys and Girls club of Venice and in private practice, fine tuning my skills.

From 2009 to 2017 I worked with research teams in the Department of Psychiatry at USC investigating the genetic causes of Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.  

Providing highly informed, competent and comprehensive care to my clients is my goal and I'm committed to learning and improving.  In 2018 I completed training in EMDR, an evidence based treatment for trauma and PTSD, also showing positive results in studies of anxiety, depression, OCD, ADHD and more. I now incorporate EMDR therapy into my work with many of my clients and have seen overwhelmingly positive results. In 2019 I began training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) and remain involved and committed to honing my skills as a couples therapist.

In my private practice in Hermosa Beach I work with adults, couples, college students, and teens (15 and older), both in person and on-line.

Please reach out.  I welcome your calls and texts.   

 Brooke​
Vertical Divider
​WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO THERAPY?
In our sessions together we will first spend time getting to know each other. I'll ask what brings you to therapy - at this moment in time- and let you take the lead. If we are a good fit, you should begin to feel safe, comfortable, at ease and in a space of non-judgement. Trust and rapport will develop over time and together we will outline your goals for therapy. I make use of several approaches in my work depending on the needs of each individual. Often people are most familiar with Psychodynamic therapy or "talk" therapy. Other approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offer better and faster results for example when working on recurring negative thoughts or anxiety. For those seeking short term therapy for isolated issues there is solution-focused brief therapy. I often incorporate mindfulness and meditation to enhance the therapeutic experience with any other style of work we are doing together and I incorporate EMDR therapy whenever possible. ​​
​HOW LONG WILL THERAPY LAST?
​Therapy is personal to each client. Some clients come weekly for months or years, others prefer short-term treatment lasting 8 to 16 weeks. Clients in crisis may come in twice weekly until the crisis abates. Some clients choose bi-weekly sessions, often when approaching the end of treatment. I recommend once weekly sessions to achieve and maintain lasting change.