On the outside, your life may look more simple than how complicated feels inside. Maybe you’ve learned to carry yourself in a way that looks polished and successful, even when you’re holding stress, doubts or exhaustion just below the surface. You might feel a constant pull to keep up appearances, to meet invisible standards, or to live up to what others expect of you. For some, that pressure started long ago - the need to make parents proud, to fit into a certain role or to stand apart and prove something. Those early dynamics can still shape how you move through life now. At times, it may feel like you’re caught between wanting to belong and questioning if you truly do. For many, this creates a quiet sense of disconnection: from yourself, from your relationships, and from the ease you wish you felt in daily life.
If you’re a parent, these patterns can take on new layers. You might find yourself pouring into everyone else and leaving little room for yourself. Or maybe you feel the pressure to be the “perfect” one while quietly wondering if you’re doing it right. Even in moments of gratitude, there can still be a part of you that longs for more ease, authenticity, and connection.
Therapy gives you the chance to pause and look underneath the roles you’ve had to play. It’s a space to explore the parts of yourself you’ve kept tucked away: the doubts, the longings, the questions about what truly matters. Together, we can uncover what’s been driving you, make sense of the patterns that no longer serve you, and create space for you to feel more grounded, free, and fully yourself.
We might be a good fit If...
You’re highly capable and successful, but inside you feel anxious, restless or empty.
We might be a good fit If...
You learned early on to take care of others and keep it together even when it meant silencing your own needs.
We might be a good fit If...
You feel a constant pressure to perform or achieve, and rest never feels truly restful.
We might be a good fit If...
Relationships can be challenging. You crave closeness but different fears get in a way. How do I prevent rejection or not being burden on others?
We might be a good fit If...
You sometimes feel like no one really knows you because you’re always in the role of the strong, reliable one.
We might be a good fit If...
Conflict feels uncomfortable, so you avoid it, but resentment quietly builds over time.
We might be a good fit If...
You struggle to slow down or just be, and when you try, feelings of guilt or discomfort show up.
We might be a good fit If...
You’re aware that childhood wounds still echo in your life, but you don’t know how to heal them.
We might be a good fit If...
You want to feel more connected and not just admired for what you do, but truly seen for who you are.
What we’ll work on in therapy
Individual therapy in Manhattan Beach and online in California
Making sense of your past
We’ll explore how growing up with emotionally unavailable parents shaped your patterns of perfectionism, self-reliance or people-pleasing.
Softening the inner critic
Together, we’ll learn to recognize and shift the harsh voice inside, replacing it with self-understanding and compassion.
Reconnecting with emotions
Instead of numbing or pushing feelings aside, therapy will help you notice and work with them in a grounded way.
Exploring your needs
You’ll learn to identify and voice your needs clearly, without shame or fear of being too much.
Healing relational wounds
We’ll untangle the impact of family dynamics and past disappointments so they no longer dictate your present.
Practicing new ways of being
Practicing new ways of being: Beyond insight, we’ll build new patterns that allow you to experience connection, ease, and authenticity in daily life.
