Stephanie Villasenor
Owner/Therapist
Hello! My name is Stephanie Ann Villasenor (pronouns: she/her/hers) and I am a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT). My goal with therapy is to assist any person/s in need of recovery and personal growth. I focus on inner strength and self exploration by providing counseling services to individuals, couples and families. However, I understand that therapy can be a frightening experience, and its helpful to know a little about the person on the other side!
I began my career path in the mental health field at Loyola Marymount University, where I received my undergraduate degree in Psychology. Soon after graduating from LMU, I attended Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology. I completed the program with a masters degree in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy.
During and after graduation, I worked in various mental health settings. I have spent time working in group homes, adult clinics, children/teen clinics, and in-patient facilities. I have worked with clients struggling with issues such as anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma, behavioral issues, family conflicts, etc. Majority of my experience has been within the Latinx community, and I strive to offer culturally sensitive approaches and techniques. I describe my style of therapy as holistic wellness, with elements of cognitive behavioral and person centered therapy. Storytelling is an important piece of the work, in which clients get the chance to explore their own experiences in a nonjudgmental space. I want to develop a strong therapeutic alliance with my clients, and provide a safe environment for healing and self awareness to transpire.
On a personal level…I have a beautiful son who drives me crazy and makes me laugh everyday! I enjoy spending time with my husband and family. We could be hiking a new trail or watching re-runs of the office all day; I just love to be surrounded by my family and friends! My community is very important to me, and I enjoy meeting new people! Struggling with anxiety and OCD during childhood/adolescence (and, let’s face it…adulthood too) was my initial motivation for pursuing a career in mental health. I’m an outdoorsy person, and I love to travel (I even got married in Spain!). Tierra Mia is my favorite coffee spot, and I probably go there way too often!
SPECIALTIES: I am passionate about helping others overcome obstacles to mental wellness. I have worked with an array of issues, however I specialize in the following: working with adult children of alcoholics, validating and healing from childhood trauma, anxiety, work/life stress and couples counseling.