Hello, and thanks for being here-taking that step 

is a big deal! 

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My name is Louise, and I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). I'm here to help you get to know a more authentic and present version of yourself, through the unique lens of your experiences. I work within the context of a respectful, safe, client-centered therapy space, in order to make room for growth and healing, understanding and clarity.

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I graduated from California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, CA with a Master of Arts in Integral Counseling Psychology. At CIIS, I learned a holistic approach to psychotherapy through integrating spirituality, healing, sustainability, and social justice into the practice-I was drawn to the values that have resonated with me throughout my lifetime. I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Florida, Gainesville, where I learned how to express myself in so many different and beautiful ways, and which I now love incorporate into  into my work and my life.  I've been practicing psychotherapy since 2012, and I am licensed in California and Texas.

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My practice applies a holistic approach to healing. I find that a felt sense of safety and a regulated nervous system is inherent to the process of healing, which is why I use a bottom-up approach. I have studied trauma since 2012, and have had the honor to learn from so many wise voices through various trainings and workshops over the years; Dr. Gabor Mate' truly helped me to understand addiction; Sobonfu Somé shared her deep wisdom on grieving; I attended the Trauma Research Center's annual international trauma conference, where I learned from Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk and Peter Levine about how trauma becomes trapped in the body, and how to work through and integrate these painful past experiences. I love to learn and will continue to expand my horizons throughout my lifetime!

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I truly believe that when we feel safe and seen, we are able to discover and understand things about ourselves we might not have thought possible, yet. 

 

I became a therapist because I delight in seeing how people express themselves! Before becoming a therapist, I worked in the music industry for many years. I'm also a lifelong artist who uses multiple media to express myself-painting, dance, music, play. Whatever your medium, expressing oneself in an authentic way, while navigating your life, is healing. Let's see what lights you up! Feeling stuck? Let's get you connected to that inner spark!

 

I've had the honor of working with individuals, couples, kids, and families from all walks of life in the therapy room since 2012, in both private practice and agency settings, before starting Flipside Mental Health Services. 

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I am an adoptee, and I have a deep understanding of  issues that arise around adoption, foster care, kinship care, and other relationships within families that are not "traditional" nuclear family systems. I appreciate that families can look a lot of different ways, and I love working with adoptees and their families in promoting healthy relationships through empathy and an understanding of the unique bio/psycho/social dynamics within a family. I've been working with this community as a therapist since 2012, and as an advocate for 20+ years! ​

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 Some of the issues I can help with:

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• Depression

• Anxiety and Phobias

• Questions and curiosities that come up around adoption, foster care, kinship care, donor conceived or other non-traditional family systems-this is a lifelong voyage, and I work with adults children and their families to find empathy, understanding and healing.

• Relationship Issues 

• Life Transitions

• Family difficulties

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder & Complex PTSD

• Professional/Career Issues

• College/Graduate School Issues

• Stress Management

• Navigating the world as a neurodivergent person

• Living with disability

• Attachment

• Spirituality

• Gender Identity Support

• LGBTQ issues

• Grief and loss