Some of the stories you carry were shaped by your early experiences - they were written by how you learned to survive and be in the world, especially when the people you depended on weren’t always able to meet your needs. To stay connected, you may have adapted by shrinking ourselves, staying quiet, being “the good one,” or learning not to need too much. These survival strategies helped you then, but they often follow people into adulthood in ways that no longer serve them. 

In therapy, we begin by recognizing these patterns and understanding that they are not fixed and that you are not doomed. Your way of being can change, and you hold agency to choose new ways of being that feel more authentic and freeing.

Therapy is also about turning toward the feelings you had to push away, including anger, sadness, shame or even excitement. Unprocessed emotions don’t vanish; they live in the body and can show up as anxiety, perfectionism or overwhelm. Therapy offers a safe space to feel these emotions fully, in real time, which is where real healing begins.

Finally, healing grows through action. Insight alone isn’t enough to cultivate change. As you understand yourself more deeply and make space for your feelings, you’ll start trying out new ways of relating: setting boundaries, asking for support or simply resting without guilt. These moments, big or small, reinforce that you’re no longer living in the patterns of your past. 

Therapy becomes an expansive space to experiment and learn to trust that change is always possible. 

Therapy Begins With Learning Your Story

We all have stories that tell us who and what we are

What we can work together on:

Therapy in Hermosa Beach and online in California

Couples

New Parents

neurodivergence

high-achievers

click on each therapy offering to learn more

click on each therapy offering to learn more

Learn a little bit about a couple of the many areas we frequently work through in therapy. 

New Parents

Life with a new baby can be beautiful, and it can also be disorienting. You may find yourself missing the version of your relationship that felt easier, or wondering who you are now that everything has changed. I help new parents navigate the shifts in identity, partnership, and daily life so they can meet this chapter with more steadiness and closeness.      Learn more→

therapy for moms

couples therapy

Neurodivergence

When neurodivergence is part of a relationship, small misunderstandings can sometimes grow into painful distance. One partner may feel unseen while the other feels criticized or not enough. In our work, we bring curiosity and compassion to these moments so that difference doesn’t have to mean disconnection. Together, we’ll explore how to build understanding and closeness in ways that fit who you are.      Learn more→

COuples therapy

individual therapy

High-Achieving Professionals

Holding everything together can come at a cost. On the outside, it may look like you’re thriving. But inside, you might feel stretched thin, unable to rest, or unsure what would happen if you stopped pushing. Therapy offers a place to step out of that pressure and listen to what you actually need. Over time, it becomes easier to live with more ease and authenticity.      Learn more→

individual therapy

online therapy

Relational Trauma

The ways we learned to cope as children don’t disappear just because we’re grown. You may notice old patterns like people-pleasing or silencing yourself showing up in your adult relationships. In therapy, we approach these wounds with care and patience. Together, we’ll create new experiences of safety and connection that can reshape how you relate to yourself and others.      Learn more→

individual therapy

COUPLES THEARPY

Premarital Counseling

Entering marriage brings both excitement and questions about how life will feel together. Premarital counseling provides a space to explore communication styles, expectations, and shared values. It helps partners understand each other more fully and build a foundation of trust and connection before marriage.      Learn more→

couples therapy

online therapy

I’m a Croatian-born, licensed marriage and family therapist based in Hermosa Beach, California, offering both in-person and virtual therapy to couples and adults across the South Bay and greater LA area. 

My passion lies in relationships. I remain deeply curious in learning about how we connect with ourselves, our partners, and the world around us. I hold onto the stories people tell themselves about those connections. As a therapist, I help couples and individuals rewrite those stories so they can live more meaningfully and authentically.

Early in my career, I worked as a marriage mediator, but I realized my passion was rooted more in helping couples rebuild and thrive. Today, with specialized training in conflict resolution and mediation, I value bringing a relational, attachment-informed approach to therapy. 

Couples come to me facing complex challenges like infidelity, trust-building, communication struggles, relational trauma, intimacy, jealousy, conflict, and parenting. I also offer premarital counseling and weekend intensive sessions designed to help couples strengthen their bond and navigate life transitions with greater ease.

Individual clients often seek support for healing trauma and shame, navigating grief and loss, exploring identity and self-worth, setting boundaries, and learning to be comfortable with who they are.

I weave together different approaches, including narrative therapy, psychodynamic insight, family systems, Imago, somatic awareness, and attachment theory, all through a trauma-informed lens. Drawing from my mediation background, I also use Nonviolent Communication techniques to help couples and individuals foster clearer, more compassionate connections.

Who I am

How to get started

learn more

contact me

Reach out for an initial consultation. I’ll get back to you as soon as possible, and we will discuss your goals for therapy.

01.

initial
consultation

Reach out using the contact form. Share a bit about what’s bringing you to couples therapy- no need to overthink it. I’ll get back to you with next steps.

02.

first
appointment

If we decide to work together, in our first full session, we’ll dive into what’s been feeling stuck or painful in your relationship. I’ll help you both slow things down, name what’s not working, and begin mapping a path forward.

03.

ongoing
sessions

We’ll work together weekly (or biweekly, depending on your needs) to build stronger communication, heal past wounds, and create more connections. Every step is tailored to your relationship, not a one-size-fits-all plan.

04.

"Healing our attachment wounds does not necessarily mean healing the relationships with those who caused them. It is about healing the relationship we created with ourselves as a result of the relationships we had with others."

featured on voyagela

sign up

Sign up to stay in touch with all of my latest updates and therapy freebies.

Get on the List

want to keep in touch?

Stay tuned for updates headed straight to your inbox.

Thanks for Signing Up!