Emotionally Connected Psychotherapy
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In a warm and supportive environment, Dr. Bess offers personalized therapy tailored to your individual needs. Her practice addresses a wide range of emotional concerns, from relationship challenges to specialized support, empowering you to achieve personal growth and lasting well- being. Dr. Bess offers mental health counseling services for children, adolescents, adults, families, and couples, grounded in the following principles:
Provides support for individuals navigating relationship challenges, including those who experience anxiety or avoidance in relationships, trauma, codependence, people-pleasing tendencies, difficulty regulating emotions, fears of abandonment, low self-esteem, attraction to unhealthy relationships, anxiety and depression, panic attacks, and feelings of emptiness and loneliness.
(EFT) for couples and Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) for families is a type of psychotherapy that emphasizes the role of emotions and dynamics in our relationships and overall well-being. It's based on attachment theory, which suggests that our early experiences with caregiver’s shape how we connect and react with others throughout our lives.
is a strengths-based, person-centered approach that recognizes the inherent value of neurodivergent individuals. Dr. Bess moves away from deficit-based models and focuses on empowering individuals to thrive authentically as themselves. She understands that each neurodivergent person is unique, with their own specific needs, preferences, and goals. Her support is tailored to the individual, celebrating their talents and fostering self-advocacy.
offers a pathway to deeper connection and understanding with your child. It encourages self-awareness, helping you explore your own thoughts, feelings, and experiences to better understand your child's behaviors and needs. Moving beyond reactive parenting, this approach empowers you to respond with intention and thoughtfulness, fostering healthier parenting skills, self-regulatory skills for your child, reducing family discord and frustration, and establishing loving, supportive boundaries.
Confidentiality is essential to the therapeutic relationship. Both legal and ethical guidelines protect the privacy of all communication between a client and their psychotherapist. No information will be disclosed without your informed written consent, except in the limited circumstances outlined by law. These legally mandated exceptions are to keep you and others safe. These exceptions include suspected child abuse or dependent adult/elder abuse, and credible threats of serious bodily harm to self or others.
Convenient and confidential telehealth sessions are available to clients in California, Florida, and Vermont, conducted via our HIPAA-compliant Zoom platform.
Experience a calm and supportive environment for your therapy sessions in a dedicated office suite on the therapist's property. The private and tranquil setting is separate from the main residence and offers the added convenience of complimentary parking, conveniently located near the 101 freeway, and a private restroom.
Life's journey brings challenges for everyone. Taking courageous steps to seek therapy means you're ready to explore new paths toward well-being and happiness. Therapy offers lasting support in building resilience, creating deeper connections, and navigate life's difficulties with greater ease.
You are welcome here. Dr. Bess provides culturally sensitive and affirming care to neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ individuals, grounded in anti-oppression principles. She embraces clients of all backgrounds and identities, and is committed to creating a space of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Dr. Bess is committed to upholding the highest professional standards. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) through the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS), she is also an active member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT).