Lyra Barrera, Psy.D.
I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist (LCP) and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). I graduated with a BA in Psychology from Harvard University, earned a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University, and a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree from the California School of Professional Psychology in Los Angeles. My areas of emphasis included Women’s Studies; Marriage, Child, and Family Therapy; and Multicultural Community Clinical Psychology.
I provide training and supervision in both agency and private-practice settings and was on the faculty of the Southern California Counseling Center for 15 years. I have been working with individuals and couples at Larchmont Associates since 1998.
We are all trying to navigate in many different contexts every day – professional, interpersonal, spiritual (to name a few) – and problems tend to arise when our values and beliefs are not seen or supported in the contexts we are living in. To make matters worse, those contexts can also be promoting taken-for-granted ideas about how we should be living our lives. In my work, we are actively engaged in finding ways to name and contend with problems in context. I work collaboratively with people to detail their hopes for a life that is focused in the ways they would like, honor the histories that inform their current experiences and relationships, and help find ways to embody emotions in ways that can be felt, seen, and understood by others.
License no. PSY 21518 & MFT 39372
Location
252 N. Larchmont Boulevard Suite 202
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Contact
t: 323-980-7960
e: lyrabarrera@larchmontassociates.com
Aaron Buckwalter, LMFT
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Originally from New York City, I have been in Los Angeles for over 25 years.
My practice is dedicated to helping men, women, and couples work through relational, emotional and personal problems so that they can lead a more meaningful life.
Anxiety, depression or relational conflict can feel overwhelming, but these problems do not have to define you. I can help you identify barriers, explore strengths and preferences, creating new ways of responding to old problems so that you don’t feel stuck in familiar and unfulfilling patterns. My style is collaborative, warm, authentic and direct.
Areas of particular interest include men’s issues, relationships, transitions and loss in personal or work life, and couples struggling with fertility challenges.
In addition to seeing clients since 2003 in private practice, I was a therapist for five years at the Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic. During that time, I provided short and long term therapy, family therapy, crisis intervention, trauma work, and group therapy. For eight years, I supervised pre-licensed therapists in the Family Therapy Training program at the Southern California Counseling Center in Los Angeles. Additionally, I am trained in EMDR thru an EMDRIA approved training program.
Education:
- B.A. Political Science and History (Honors), Washington University in St. Louis
- M.A. Clinical Psychology (Honors), Phillips Graduate Institute
- Professional Affiliations:
- American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
- American Psychological Association’s Division 51 (Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity)
For additional information about my work please contact me or go to www.changethrutherapy.com
License no. LMFT 43099
Location
252 N. Larchmont Boulevard Suite 202
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Contact
t: 323-799-4130
e: aaronmft@gmail.com
For more information see: changethrutherapy.com
Sophie de Figueiredo, Psy.D.
I am a licensed clinical psychologist with a primary specialty in adolescent, young adult and women’s mental health, as well as extensive experience treating adults and families. As a psychologist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, I primarily treat individuals and families with various mental health issues specific to teens, young adults transitioning to adulthood, as well as chronic medical conditions. In my private practice, I provide treatment to individuals (13+), adults, and families that emphasizes increasing overall well-being, emotional health, and life satisfaction by strengthening coping skills, positive self-image, mood and overall daily functioning.
I provide gender-affirming, strength-based, culturally sensitive and trauma-informed care that takes biological, psychosocial, intergenerational, systemic and structural influences into account. I have expertise in providing treatment relating to trauma, stress, depression/anxiety, relationships, social skills, autism spectrum disorders, pregnancy/ parenting, cultural issues and immigration. I also specialize in treating work-related burnout and “compassion fatigue,” especially as these relate to clinical providers and/or family caregivers. I draw from a range of evidence-based psychological interventions to provide individualized care for each person with the ultimate goal of reducing distress and increasing ease, wellness and resilience.
As the benefits of therapy depend largely on the strength and authenticity of the therapeutic relationship, I focus on building trusting connections with my clients via empathy, warmth, humor, and honesty. Sessions with me are collaborative and respectful; together, we will develop a unique direction and pace of treatment to best suit your needs.
License no. PSY 25349
Location
252 N. Larchmont Boulevard Suite 202
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Contact
t: 323.362.2884
e: sophiepsyd@gmail.com
Elise Gibney, Ph.D
My goal as a psychologist is to help cut through the stress, trauma, old patterning and oppressive socio-cultural forces that keep us from realizing our best possible selves. I utilize both traditional talk therapy modalities (with specialties in Narrative, Cognitive Behavioral and trauma therapies) and also somatic therapies to support people in creating meaningful and fulfilling lives that reflect their values. I believe that learning to regulate our nervous systems and listen to the wisdom of our bodies is integral to healing. I utilize a collaborative, respectful approach that centers my client as the expert in their life.
I earned my BA from University of Pennsylvania, then my Masters and Doctorate degrees in Clinical Psychology from Alliant / California School of Professional Psychology. I am also a Trauma Sensitive Yoga teacher, a meditation practitioner and teacher, and have extensive experience providing clinical services, supervision and training in community mental health and academic settings. I have been practicing since 2002 and was a staff psychologist and supervisor at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine for 11 years. I also have 3 unruly dogs who keep me on my toes!
My specialties include:
- Trauma, including complex trauma, developmental trauma and intergenerational trauma
- Diversity Issues
- Women’s Issues
- Addressing effects of systemic oppression
- Caregiver fatigue / Burnout / Vicarious trauma
- Supporting people on spiritual paths
- Parenting
- Adolescence and Early Adulthood
- Depression and Anxiety
- Life Transitions
License no. PSY 19305
Location
252 N. Larchmont Boulevard Suite 202
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Contact
t: 626.708.0030
e: elisegphd@gmail.com
Larry Zucker, LCSW
I have been working with individuals, couples, and families at Larchmont Associates since 1992, and have been in private practice for 10 years before that. I received my Masters in Social Work from Boston University in 1982, followed by three years of post-graduate training in couple and family therapy at the Kantor Family Institute in Boston.
I work from a perspective informed by Narrative and Solution-Focused Therapies. I focus pragmatically on the “how” of disentangling ourselves from problematic ways of being in our relationships to self and others, so that we can imagine and create more dreamed-of lives and relationships. I see people as full of untapped skill and knowledge for creating preferred lives despite difficulties encountered, and I see therapy as a relationship that helps bring forth that skill and knowledge.
In recent years I have become most interested in helping people escape from conflict, disengagement, and mistrust, which led to my focusing on couple therapy and family therapy with teens and young adults. In both cases it seems that people find themselves stuck in struggles that recur, escalate or divide, and do damage to the relationships despite everyone’s best intentions, dreams and wishes. My job is to help people re-engage and bring to life the dreams they had for themselves and their relationships before problems took hold.
Outside of the office I am involved with the Narrative Therapy community through a non-profit organization, Re-authoring Teaching, which hosts an international online community for study, theory and practice development, and cross-cultural collaboration. Through Re-authoring Teaching, I offer a training course for couple therapists.
I’ve supervised and trained family therapists for many years in both clinic and university settings. I am a clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and am an AAMFT Approved Supervisor.
License no. LCS 14596
Location
252 N. Larchmont Boulevard Suite 202
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Contact
t: 323.962.8190
e: lmzucker@gmail.com
Ralph Bruneau Ph.D., MFT
I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame. My work in this field began more than 30 years ago as a paraprofessional counselor. The profound nature of the work inspired me to go on to receive a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University and then a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute.
I served as faculty member at Antioch University, in the Family Training Program at the Southern California Counseling Center, and have provided training to clinicians regarding chemical dependency, psychopharmacology, and sexuality/intimacy. I am a clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, an AAMFT approved supervisor, and, in 2016, received one of 2 national awards from AAMFT for my contributions to the field of marriage and family therapy in the state of California. I served 6 years on AAMFT-CA Board of Directors and currently serve on the Board of Directors for the LA Gender Center, CLAW, and Avatar Los Angeles (President).
Additionally, I am EMDR Certified, a Certified Treatment Specialist for Diverse Populations (AATBS), Certified LGBT Affirmative Psychotherapy Provider (AAMFT-CA) and Certified Substance Use Disorder Provider (AAMFT-CA).
Outside my consulting room, in have been actively involved with the effort to ban licensed mental health professionals from providing Conversion Therapy to minors since AB1172 was crafted. California was the first state to ban this dangerous practice. I have been actively involved in this effort for over 8 years. In 2017, I was named International Mr. Leather. Part of my platform entailed traveling around the world raising funds and awareness for NCLR’s #BornPerfect campaign to ban Conversion Therapy in all 50 states and around the world. 18 states, DC and Puerto Rico now have bans on the practice.
I have written for, or been profiled in, Alphatribe, The Leather Journal, GayStarNews, Bound and Black, Box, Time Out, Advocate, Huffington Post, and most recently was one of 6 individuals (I was the only therapist) chosen for an eight-page feature in Playboy magazine (in collaboration with the Trevor Project) because of my work with #BornPerfect and activism in fighting Conversion Therapy. I was the Payasos Leatherman of the Year 2017 and the George Wong person of the Year 2018 presented by the LALC. My IML step-aside video was awarded the 2019 Best Musical Short by CineKink and is touring in festivals nationwide.
I believe the therapeutic process sits squarely within a context of heteronormative, gender, and sexual politics. These influences restrain our expression whether it be cultural, familial, relational alienation, an unwanted and unhealthy relationship with substances or maladaptive patterns, or a partially expressive sexual expression, to name a few. In this regard, I see the psychotherapeutic process as one, which attempts the collaborative release of these restraining influences returning to the innate capacity for full range of self-expression.
License no. MFT 33596
Location
143 N. Larchmont Boulevard Second Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Contact
t: 323.962.9619
e: DrRalphBruneau@gmail.com
Michelle Chong, LMFT
My family has been in Los Angeles for five generations. I love Los Angeles for its diverse and rich cultures. Growing up, I also spent a lot of time in the Uinta and Wasatch Mountains in Utah and gained a deep appreciation for nature and our environment. When I get tired of the city hustle and bustle, I enjoy a respite up the in old-growth forests, out in the high desert, or somewhere along the coast by the water.
I went to college at the University of Washington in Seattle and studied Forestry, Conservation, and Photography, and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Art and Environmental Studies. I continued my education in Art, Photography, and Critical Theory at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, and earned a Master’s degree in Fine Art. After exhibiting my work in both galleries and museums, as well as curating exhibitions nationally and internationally, I was interested in expanding my art practice into more community engagement. I continued my studies in Community Psychology, LGBTQ Specialization, and Spirituality and Mindfulness at Antioch University, Los Angeles, and earned a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology.
As a queer mixed race Chinese Chicana therapist, I enjoy working with other people of color, artists, creatives, musicians, and writers. I work from a post-structuralist and feminist lens. I am interested in understanding the social and political contexts in which individuals, couples, and families find themselves. I am passionate about supporting marginalized experiences, and underrepresented groups. I work from a non-judgmental and compassionate approach and incorporate solution-focused and strength-based therapy methods which highlight the ways clients have been resilient and how to continue building from there.
In addition to my private practice, I supervise trainee counselors at the Miracle Mile Community Practice, I have served as Faculty in the Masters Counseling Program at Cal State University San Bernardino, and Supervisor and Clinical Coordinator at the Southern California Counseling Center. I was also a part of a local research team for five years and my clinical work has been published in the Journal of Contemporary Narrative Therapy.
License no. LMFT 105327
Location
143 N. Larchmont Boulevard Second Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Contact
t: (707) 622-6698
e. michellechong.mft@gmail.com
Katrina Dornig, Ph.D., LMFT
We all have the potential to create the lives and relationships we dream of – even in the most challenging of situations. The purpose of my practice is to help individuals and couples navigate the inevitable challenges of life and develop new ways to respond that build more ease, wellbeing, connection, and vitality.
The questions and challenges of being human can, at times, become overwhelming. We can all get stuck in habits of mind, behaviors, feelings, or relationships that don’t reflect our deepest hopes and intentions. My job is to help bring forth your own unique motivation and capacities, to identify what gets in the way of living this vision, and to develop the skills, resources and support to get there.
I work from a strengths-based, collaborative perspective. Our work can expand your capacity for authentic happiness and joy, while also build awareness, skills and resilience against the potential struggles of life. I take a practical, solution focused, and holistic approach to your well-being. This means I see (and the science demonstrates) that our individual mental health is impacted by a range of other interactive factors such as – our relationships, our thoughts and belief systems, our cultural, ethnic, and spiritual backgrounds, our behaviors, and our physical health, physiology, and nervous system. The exciting prospect of working from this integrative perspective is that there are many possible pathways out of problems, and into the life you want to be living.
I have particular interest and specialization related to:
• Alleviating depression/anxiety
• Living with physical health problems
• Supporting mothers and couples around fertility, pre & postnatal transitions
• Women’s mental health
• Improving couple and family relationships
• Navigating loss & grief
• LGBTQIA+ affirmative therapy
• Life transitions
I have been a licensed Marriage & Therapy Therapist since 2003, and completed much of my clinical training at AIDS Project Los Angeles and Southern California Counseling Center. I have worked as a psychotherapist, educator, clinical supervisor, and researcher. I earned my Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University and my Ph.D. in Social Work at UCLA in 2009. I taught clinical social work graduate students as a Lecturer at UCLA for 10 years. I also provide trainings and workshops for a variety of academic and non-profit organizations throughout Los Angeles.
My style is warm, engaged, active and direct. My work is further informed by mindfulness meditation which I’ve practiced for 20 years, and Kundalini yoga (certified teacher training in 2011). I live in Los Angeles with my husband, our twin sons, and two dogs.
Through a trustworthy, supportive therapeutic relationship, healing, growth and change can occur. Indeed, the research demonstrates that the strength of the relationship is the most important indicator of how you will benefit from therapy. If my approach resonates with you, I invite you to connect with me to see if we might be a good fit to work together.
License#MFT40283
Location
143 N. Larchmont Blvd., Second Floor
Contact
t. 213.479.4473
For more information: www.kdornigphd.com
Robert Santos, MFT
Prior to my work as a therapist, I earned a Master’s degree in Literature from USC and received my BA from Bard College in New York. I earned my MA in Psychology from Phillips Graduate Institute, training in such diverse settings as the California Family Counseling Center, Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic, and the Southern California Counseling Center (SCCC), where I also currently supervise and teach. I am a member of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT), and have extensive training in sexual issues.
As a therapist, I work to help people distinguish their preferences from their problems, understand more fully the values they care most about, and define the intentions and actions that will best express those values.
Working with relationships, I foster the development of practices which create space for each partner’s unique experience, and make these heartfelt preferences visible to everyone involved.
In all cases in my work, I strive to bring about a positive, affirming response from a person’s community, and to help people engage their personal communities as a powerful resource for change. My work is further informed by practices drawn from mindfulness meditation, which I have practiced for over 20 years.
I work mainly with adult individuals, couples and diverse partner relationships of many types. I have extensive experience working with complex partnership dynamics, including polyamory, ethical nonmonogamy, and kink, and enjoy supporting people to design their relationships more consciously and choicefully over time.
My areas of emphasis include:
- Couples navigating differences, disconnection or conflict
- People seeking alternatives to abusive behaviors in relationship
- Experiences of betrayal in intimate relationships
- Secrecy, lies and repairing relationships affected by them
- Men and the challenges of modern masculinity
- Developing a fulfilling experience of sexual desire, pleasure and behavior
- Concerns about sexual well-being and relationships
- Out of control sexual behaviors
License no. MFC #42998
Location
143 N. Larchmont Boulevard Second Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Contact
t: (323) 205-4188
e. robsantos@larchmontassociates.com
Blair C Smith, LMFT, CGP, SEP
My practice is a collaborative endeavor where you will develop awareness & gain insight about yourself, your relationships, and the obstacles preventing you from leading a satisfying & productive life. My goal is to create a supportive, encouraging, and meaningfully challenging setting for you to process emotions, re-frame unhelpful perspectives, and regulate triggers based on past or present circumstances.
As a licensed Marriage Family Therapist (MFT), a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) and a Certified Group Psychotherapist (CGP) my approach is holistic, emphasizing the interconnections between the mind and body, your emotions and behaviors. While working with individuals, couples, and groups, I integrate modern psychoanalysis, Somatic Experiencing, and Interpersonal Neurobiology finding this integrated approach the most effective way to treat Developmental Trauma, Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, and Attachment Disorders.
After completing my MA in Clinical Psychology degree from Antioch University Los Angeles, I trained at the Pacific Gestalt Institute (PGI) for 2 years followed by the post-graduate Psychoanalytic Program at the Los Angeles Institute and Society for Psychoanalytic Studies (LAISPS). In 2009, I began Somatic Experiencing (SE) training in a private practicum, thereafter completing the 3-year program with the SE Trauma Institute. As a certified group therapist, I have advanced training in group dynamics and lead ongoing therapy groups incorporating SE principles.
Beyond my practice, I present quarterly at TEENLINE, Cedar’s Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles on the topics of Trauma and Grief and Loss, locally and nationally on the topic of Somatic Group Psychotherapy, and assist SE trainings in Southern California and Sydney, Australia.
License no. 50624
Location
143 N. Larchmont Boulevard Second Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Contact
t: 310-388-5787
e. blairsmithmft@gmail.com
Andrea Zuckerman, MFT
My approach to therapy is one of active collaboration between therapist and client. I help to clarify the unique preferences and understanding each client seeks. I am a licensed Marriage and Family therapist who works with individuals, couples and families in my private practice. Drawing from Post-Modern philosophies and holistic awareness-based approaches, I invite clients to explore possibilities, identify strengths and skills, and gain traction toward realizing the changes they seek.
As an undergraduate, I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Middlebury College and then went on to receive my Master of Arts
degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University. I draw from my experience as a clinical supervisor at a teen suicide hotline at Cedars Sinai Hospital and at the Southern California Counseling Center.
My private practice work focuses on couples and families, sex and intimacy, addiction, trauma, anxiety and depression. In addition, I offer specialized trauma work, including the protocol of EMDR.
License no. LMFT 46089
Location
143 N. Larchmont Boulevard Second Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Contact
t: 310.499.7001
e. andreazzuckerman@gmail.com