In my 14+ years of counseling, I have worked in recovery programs, with federal inmates, and in private practice. I have experience with individuals of all ages, couples, and families. I love working with teens and young adults but being on anyone's healing journey is an honor and privilege. Having been married for 28 years and having two adult daughters has given me life experience beyond the classroom that I use everyday in sessions. I build rapport and trust easily with clients earning the me the ability to walk alongside them and speak truth, challenge them when needed, and cheer them on towards living their best life. I use a trauma-informed approach and believe wholeheartedly that people can heal and live their life according to their values.

My passion is working with the LGBTQ community and with couples. I have worked in many settings and in my own LCSW counseling and consulting practice since 1987. I am originally from the East Coast and came to California, originally the Bay Area for 30 years and San Diego for the past 9, and have worked in medical, acute rehabilitation and outpatient psychiatry for the majority of my career.
I am trained in the Gottman model of couple's therapy, in DBT, CBT, ACT, Trauma resiliency, Prolonged Exposure therapy and CPT.
My most extensive training in the last 7 years has been with gender affirming care.

I love to foster a safe space to explore, manage, and face the daily stressors and long-term challenges of life for adolescents/young adults and women. I use my expertise, research, and personal experience to serve two special populations, anxious teenagers/young adults and moms. The weight of feeling like I can not handle what I am experiencing is overwhelming, but it does not have to feel that way forever.

To the teen or young adult girl that feels that she is walking without a map and is trying to figure out her relationship with her friends, family, body, performance, etc., you do not have to do it alone. I want to walk alongside you while we figure out how to find healthy ways to deal with anxiety, learn to live according to what matters most to you, and make peace in your relationship with yourself and others.

I also focus on working with women who are prenatal, postpartum, or have experienced infant loss at any time. As someone who has experienced the overwhelming pain and confusion of miscarriage, I understand what it feels like to be faced with seemingly insurmountable loss. This heartbreaking experience drives my passion to help women in similar situations navigate their grief, honor their child, and find hope to move forward when it feels like there is none.

Whether through writing helpful content, meeting with individual clients, and talking to groups, my desire is to cultivate safe spaces to talk about hard things. Let’s connect and see where we can grow together.

Emily specializes in working with individual adults and teens (15yo+). She has extensive experience working with young adults and college students having difficulty with anxiety, depression, life stage transitions (moving, graduation or career change), suicidal thoughts, self-esteem, relationship concerns, and dating. Having assisted collegiate student athletes as well as working with athletes at the professional level, Emily understands the unique pressures of being an athlete and the impact on mental health. She has a passion for helping her clients maximize their quality of life and perform to their greatest potential in every area of their lives.

Emily is also a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). This certification equips Emily to assist clients with mental health concerns affected by disabilities, traumatic brain injury and chronic health conditions. It allows Emily to address both the mental and physical components of wellness, thus improving clients’ daily functioning and their overall quality of life.

At any stage of development, we are bound to encounter obstacles to our ability to thrive. I help clients to become proactive agents in their own process. I have worked extensively with clients across all ages to reduce symptoms, promote growth, and instill acceptance, and lasting change.

Celeste received her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a certificate in Marriage & Family Therapy from Richmont Graduate University. Celeste has also pursued training through the Gottman Institute and Prepare/Enrich to facilitate her work with couples. Additionally, Celeste is trained in EMDR, a therapeutic technique designed to help people struggling to process trauma.

Celeste has a holistic and systemic approach to therapy with the goal of helping clients achieve mental and physical wellness. She believes strongly in incorporating the client’s beliefs, value systems, and cultural identity into therapy.

Celeste’s experience in both hospital outpatient and private practice settings has provided her with a broad range of experience that is reflected in her eclectic therapeutic approach, allowing her to draw from a number of theoretical perspectives to accommodate the diverse needs of her clients. Celeste works with teens, adults, and couples to address a variety of concerns such as anxiety, depression, communication skills, conflict resolution, and stress management.

Celeste is currently under the supervision of Jennifer Wilmoth, LMFT.

I have a diverse professional and personal background which allows me a unique perspective. I love earning the trust of my clients and walking through those things in life that have led us into the people we become. Whether sensitively processing to trauma, or tackling unintentional habits, I take great care to prioritize the clients’ goals and collaboration is key! I work with individuals, couples and families on issues ranging anxiety, depression, parenting, marriage, or other relationships issues, and life transitions.

Telemental Health
Serving clients with Trauma, Complex Trauma, PTSD, Bipolar D/O, Anxiety, Depression and Gender issues

Trauma has a way of disconnecting us from ourselves and others. And if you’re anything like my clients, that sense of disconnection feels impossible to shake. When they first start therapy, my clients feel dissatisfied and disoriented with where they find themselves. They struggle to trust themselves. They feel stuck in self-criticism and people-pleasing. They feel alone, longing for genuine connection belonging. And they feel broken. Like my clients, you deserve to untangle yourself from the trauma and harm you’ve endured. You deserve to feel at home within yourself. To feel authentic connection in your relationships. To feel free.

I love working with adults navigating life after trauma who feel chronically disconnected because I’ve been there. As a survivor of complex trauma, I get it on a level I just couldn’t without living through it. I’ve climbed out of the valleys of despair and hopelessness, and I know it’s possible to reclaim your voice, experience restoration, and thrive.

I believe connection is the catalyst to healing. I also believe we as humans are hardwired to heal. Sometimes we simply need a compassionate witness to guide us back to ourselves and help us find a meaningful path forward. My hope is that our work together will honor the uniqueness of your story and empower you to rediscover the goodness you already possess.