How does Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) work?

I have a passion for supporting individuals by encouraging changes, healing, and empowerment. I have had the fantastic opportunity to practice as a mental health therapist and share my expertise by delivering educational services in Palm Beach County for over six years. I received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from South University, and I currently hold a Master of Science in Professional Counseling from Grand Canyon University. I am currently completing an EdD with an emphasis in Behavioral Health at Grand Canyon University. I have experience working with children and families, adolescents, adults, couples, and groups. My approaches to therapy are client-centered, solution-focused, humanistic, and strengths-based. I have training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, domestic violence, promoting maternal mental health during pregnancy, cultural bias, racial equity, child abuse and neglect, Motivational Interviewing, Brazelton Touchpoints, Infant Mental Health Levels 1 & 2, Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR trained therapist), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and I am dialectical behavior therapy informed.  I have experience working with individuals who have experienced trauma and abuse, anxiety, depression, stress, and co-occurring disorders. I have also worked with clients dealing with single parenthood, partner relational conflict, childhood and generational trauma, grief, and loss issues. I specialize in child-parent/family issues and domestic abuse (intimate partner violence).  I believe that it is essential to treat everyone with respect, sensitivity, and compassion. As a nation, we must work towards reducing the stigma around mental health and mental illness so that we can begin to break generational trauma.

Hello, I’m Dr. Francesca Derius, a psychiatric nurse practitioner dedicated to helping individuals achieve emotional balance and clarity. I offer personalized, supportive care grounded in clinical excellence, empathy, and respect for your unique journey.

Sean Kim, is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) who provides compassionate, evidence-based psychiatric care. As a PMHNP, he is licensed to diagnose mental health conditions, prescribe and manage medications, and provide ongoing treatment; with emphasis on whole-person, patient-centered care. He specializes in treating ADHD, depression, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD. Currently, serving patients in Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Torrance, and throughout Los Angeles County. For those outside the South Bay, He also offers secure tele-health appointments anywhere in California. His approach blends thorough psychiatric evaluation, thoughtful medication management, and integrative strategies to help you feel like yourself again, focused, balanced, and confident in your daily life. He created Lumina Wellness to transform psychiatric care by providing personalized, high-quality treatment that is both accessible and sustainable. He believes patients deserve more than rushed five-minute appointments; they deserve thoughtful, individualized care where their needs are heard and respected. By accepting insurance without compromising quality, we are changing the way medication management is done, making comprehensive mental health care available to everyone while maintaining the highest standards of compassion and clinical excellence.

Dr. Esther Lapite-Garrett is a licensed psychologist and the founder of Alafiora, a premium private practice offering depth-oriented, attachment-centered care for individuals navigating complex sexual trauma and the relational patterns that form in its aftermath. The clients Dr. Lapite-Garrett works with include survivors of rape, incest, sex trafficking, intimate partner sexual violence, and childhood sexual abuse. What followed that history is the center of her clinical practice: the love obsession, limerence, compulsive sexual behavior, hypersexuality, and emotional dysregulation that form in the aftermath of sexual harm, and that most generalist approaches were never quite equipped to treat. Alafiora is one of a small number of practices equipped to work with the full spectrum of how these patterns express themselves in contemporary life, including the migration of erotic and romantic attachment into AI companionship, parasocial bonds, fantasy-based intimacy systems, and the accelerating escalation that occurs when real-world connection no longer feels safe, satisfying, or possible. The clients who carry these presentations arrive having spent considerable financial, emotional, and psychological resources on experiences that brought temporary relief and deepening shame in equal measure. The clients Dr. Lapite-Garrett works with are not struggling with a lack of insight. They have read the books, tried the prior therapy, and understand their patterns with a clarity that has not been enough to stop them. They wake at 3am with a body that will not settle. They reach for sex or connection not from desire but from the need to feel something, or to feel nothing at all. They love with an intensity that outlasts what the relationship warrants, cycling through obsessive thought long after every rational part of them knows the situation has ended. They make choices in moments of emotional flooding that they do not recognize as their own afterward. They experience behavior escalation, spending elevations, and deepening secrecy. Even still, they find that the pattern repeats, each time carrying a little more shame and a little more distance from the person they understood themselves to be. What years of prior effort could not move, the work at Alafiora finally does. What changes in our work is structural. The clients who engage fully describe experiencing more than symptom management but a fundamental shift in the organizing patterns that formed them, patterns that prior treatment approaches could not reach. Alafiora is a private-pay practice offering sessions virtually, in person, and on location across multiple states. The practice maintains a small, intentionally limited caseload to ensure each client receives the full depth of care their history requires. Visit https://www.alafiora.com to learn more or inquire confidentially.

I’m Carine Robert, a Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with more than 27 years of experience in medical and psychiatric care. I provide compassionate, evidence-based mental health treatment for children, adolescents, and adults who may be struggling with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, stress, mood changes, or other emotional and behavioral concerns. My approach is supportive, culturally responsive, and centered around each person’s unique needs. I believe mental health care should feel safe, respectful, and collaborative. Whether you are seeking therapy, medication management, or a combination of both, my goal is to help you feel heard, understood, and empowered throughout your healing journey. In our first session, we will focus on getting to know you. We’ll discuss your concerns, mental health history, current symptoms, and what you hope to achieve through treatment. You do not need to have everything figured out before reaching out. This is a space where you can speak openly without judgment. Together, we will explore treatment options and begin creating a care plan that feels comfortable, realistic, and right for you.

For over five years, I've worked with individuals across healthcare and community settings who are navigating challenges related to identity, past traumas, abuse, family conflict, and everyday stressors such as work and relationships. My approach is grounded in solution-focused techniques aimed at helping you regain your strength build resilience and view your experiences through a new and empowering lens. I am currently working toward my clinical supervision to further enhance my skills and continue providing effective tools to support you on your healing journey. I am currently under direct supervision by Danielle Jenkins, LCSW-S #64305

Welcome! I’m Alexandrea Maratea, a compassionate therapist here to help you feel more confident, connected, and at peace in your life. I work with individuals facing anxiety, self-esteem challenges, relationship and family stress, and workplace pressures.  My approach is warm, personalized, and grounded in understanding your unique experiences. Together, we’ll uncover what’s been holding you back and develop practical tools to help you move forward with clarity, confidence, and a stronger sense of self.  You deserve support and real change—you don’t have to navigate this alone. Let’s take that next step together.  

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Virginia and California. I am also the Founder and CEO of Calibrated Wellness LLC— a practice that aspires to create hope, highlights resiliency, and guides healing that leads to calibration. With over 15 years of mental health experience I have served in various environments to include but not limited to an intensive In-Patient Program, Hospital Emergency Unit, Military Focused Programs and Private Practices. I often work with people working through Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety, Depression, Grief & Loss, OCD, Dysfunctional Relationships, Dual Diagnosis and other Serious Mental Illnesses. As a culturally responsive, trauma-informed psychotherapist, my priority is to partner with people who may need assistance in their process to reconnect with their inner wisdom, stabilize, restore emotional balance, and move forward with clarity and confidence!

Authenticity is very important on your mental wellness journey. Healing is a process that we must take time for. Mental health is a priority. I am a client-centered, collaborative therapist that will work with you on managing stress, anxiety, life transitions, depression and other issues you are facing.

I am Dr. Meghan Hammel, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist (PhD) dedicated to supporting women through life’s most pivotal transitions. With over 14 years of professional experience—including my tenure at the UC San Diego Health System—I specialize in providing high-quality, evidence-based therapy for clients in Arizona, California, and across more than 40 PSYPACT-participating states. My Specialized Approach to Therapy My clinical practice is centered on helping highly empathic young professionals and mothers navigate the pressures of modern life. I integrate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Mindful Self-Compassion to help you move from a state of constant reaction to one of intentional response. Perinatal & Postpartum Mental Health: I offer expert support for women navigating pregnancy, postpartum depression, and the complex "fourth trimester" transition. Anxiety & Burnout: I help clients manage the cycle of worry and rumination, particularly those in high-stress medical and professional fields. Parenting & Attachment: As a provider experienced in the Circle of Security® Parenting™ program, I help parents build stronger emotional connections and manage the stress of early parenthood. Life Transitions: Whether you are dealing with career changes, relocation, or relationship shifts, I provide a structured, validating space to process these changes and align your actions with your core values. A Supportive Partnership I believe that therapy should be an interactive and collaborative journey. My goal is to create a non-judgmental environment where we can explore your emotions and identify actionable strategies to improve your daily life. By focusing on self-compassion and mindfulness, we work together to "fill your emotional cup" so you can live a life that feels authentic and balanced. Are you ready to share the additional resources or specific details you have so I can better tailor my responses to our conversation?