Reclaiming Your Voice and Finding Peace Growing up with emotionally immature parents can feel like being stuck in a never-ending game of emotional whack-a-mole—just when you think you’ve found solid ground, another unpredictable reaction knocks you off balance. If you’re nodding along, you’re not alone. Many individuals seek therapy in Hermosa Beach to untangle the […]

Gaslighting: What It Is, How It Shows Up, and How to Take Your Power Back Gaslighting isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a manipulative tactic that leaves people questioning their own reality. As a therapist in Hermosa Beach, who works with couples and individuals, I see how this subtle (or not-so-subtle) form of emotional manipulation can erode […]

Green Flags in Relationships: Signs You’re on the Right Track When it comes to relationships, we spend a lot of time talking about red flags—the warning signs that make you want to pack up your emotional baggage and sprint in the other direction. But what about the green flags? You know, those glowing indicators that […]

Red Flags in Relationships: When to Pay Attention and When to Run We’ve all been there—staring at a text, trying to decode whether someone’s behavior is just a one-time thing or a flashing neon sign screaming, “RUN.” Relationships can be complicated, but red flags? Those should be easy to spot. And yet, they rarely are. […]

Let’s be real—expressing our needs in relationships can feel risky. Maybe you worry about sounding needy or you’ve been burned before when you tried to be honest. But here’s the truth: sharing your needs isn’t selfish; it’s how we create healthy, connected relationships. And if you don’t express them? That’s when resentment, miscommunication, and distance start […]

How Stress Messes with Your Relationship (and What to Do About It) Let’s talk about something that sneaks into every relationship at some point—stress. Whether it’s work deadlines, financial struggles, family drama, or just life being, well, life, stress has a way of creeping in and messing with even the strongest relationships. As a therapist […]

Why Your Avoidant Partner Shuts Down During Conflict—And How You Can Help If you’ve ever been in an argument with your partner and watched them emotionally check out, go silent, or physically remove themselves from the conversation, you might be dealing with an avoidant attachment response. It’s frustrating, confusing, and let’s be real—infuriating. Just when […]

How to Practice Self-Compassion in Daily Life (Without Feeling Selfish) Let’s be real—being kind to ourselves doesn’t always come naturally. We’re often our own worst critics, quick to offer compassion to others but stingy when it comes to ourselves. Sound familiar? If so, it’s time for a mindset shift. Self-compassion isn’t self-indulgence or an excuse […]

Arguments happen in every relationship. But what really matters is what comes after the fight. Do you and your partner stew in silence? Sweep it under the rug? Or do you find a way to come back together, stronger than before? Repairing after a fight isn’t just about saying “sorry”—it’s about rebuilding trust, fostering understanding, and learning […]

Ever feel like you and your partner are stuck in the same frustrating argument on repeat? You try to talk, they shut down. Or maybe they bring something up, and you get defensive. Before you know it, you’re both emotionally exhausted, wondering how you even got here. Welcome to the negative cycle—that relentless pattern that keeps couples disconnected, […]