Therapists in Santa Monica, CA

YOUR LIFE'S NOT WORKING THE WAY YOU'D LIKE? Find out why, and we can change it together. Want to be heard and understood? Struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, gay/lesbian/bisexual issues, addictions (substances or behaviors including sex addiction), or infidelities? Want to stay together, but your marriage is rocky? Communication problems or behavior problems disrupting your relationship? DON'T LET OLD PATTERNS GET IN YOUR WAY. Visit my website for more information: http://www.DrCarlShubs.com. NEW BOOK: Traumatic Experiences of Normal Development, available on Amazon.

Even though you are a hard-working & high-achieving person you still feel dissatisfied with your life, career, or relationships. On top of that, you are struggling to manage the feelings of anxiety and overwhelm that have become too familiar. I get it because I've been there also. My role is to support you through this transformation to help you find the clarity, self-awareness, and self-compassion you deserve.

You are feeling like life is full of chaos and no matter what you do, you can’t seem to get a handle on what is happening. Your relationships are broken, or strained and not only is it affecting you, but others are pulling away. You feel lost as if you have no purpose in life. You are tired of the spinning wheel. Depression, anxiety, anger, relationship challenges and much more keep you stuck and unable to grow. ENOUGH! You're ready for answers to start a new Holistic, healthy journey and become that whole person you were meant to be - Mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually - whole!

Let's do this! My ideal client is focused on growth and healing. Many of my clients have suffered from narcissistic and borderline abuse, are interested in building an ability to identify and set good boundaries, and improve their lives. I believe in the power of human resilience and our unstoppable inclination to grow towards wellness, health and balance. We can heal and grow, no matter what obstacles we face.

Generally, I treat groups, couples, and individuals--21 years of age or older. I am best suited to treat depression, anxiety, bipolar, alcohol/drug issues, personality disorders, anger, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder, adjustment disorders, grief/loss, employment difficulties, military/veterans, spiritual issues, and relationship problems.

Dealing with various types of trauma and the ways in which it can impact our daily lives can be challenging. I am here to help you understand that your trauma does not define you. Your trauma reactions are valid and I’d like to support you in the development of healthy coping skills. This will allow you the freedom to transcend beyond traumatic experiences, forging a new path toward growth, healing, recovery and wellness. I can help you navigate and cope with addiction/substance use, PTSD, depression, anxiety, life transitions, identity related issues, and family/interpersonal relationships.

We all have a story, but when burnout spirals into deeper struggles like anxiety, depression, exhaustion, and compassion fatigue, we can lose sight of that narrative. Pressures like work stress, relationship issues, societal expectations, identity struggles, or pursuit of perfection can engulf us to the point that we can't handle the burden. This impacts our creativity, relationships, and sense of direction. But burnout isn't the end of the story; with support, a new chapter can unfold. I love stories because they foster understanding. Throughout history, stories have been our tools for making sense of ourselves and the world.

On the outside, you make success look easy, though it comes at a cost. You hide parts of yourself, which leaves you wrestling with overwhelm, anxiety, and self-esteem. You may even feel an internal game of tug of war. My goal is to help alleviate the struggles and difficulties you've been carrying alone by providing a caring and welcoming space. Together, we will look at various parts of yourself and find what's not working, so new patterns can emerge by deepening insight and finding pragmatic solutions. I enjoy helping clients improve communication, understand emotions, and create a healthy relationship with themselves and others.

Clients who work with me realize how they can be in the driver's seat of their life and challenge the guilt, shame and pain that keeps them stuck. Many of my clients overlook their well-being due to exhausting themselves with work or have difficulties managing relationships, boundaries and handling big emotions. As most folks have their vices, whether it is social media, alcohol, drugs, shopping or porn, I have been able to compassionately support clients in identifying alternative strategies that promote safety, decrease harm, and manage or abstain from consumption.

Are you looking to remove the obstacles that stand in the way of achieving well-being and live your most authentic and connected life? In the work with clients, it is my job to support you through a supportive therapeutic relationship. Whether you are coming in to process a relationship, attachment trauma, increased anxiety or depression or struggling with life transitions, I am here to help provide you with a safe space to reach your goals.

I help children, teens and young adults process trauma, navigate difficult relationships, develop life-long coping skills, and find inner peace. Aside from being a therapist, I am a human with lived-experience. I understand how overwhelming it can be to address difficult thoughts and emotions. I also know how incredibly life changing it can be. My drive for building authentic connections with my clients is largely motivated by my own failed attempts to find a therapist I connected with when I was younger. It taught me true healing happens in safe environments, with honest connections, built on authenticity, honesty, and laughter.

Does it feel like something is off in your life? Maybe you have reached major milestones, or find yourself overachieving, but still question your sense of self and self-worth. Sometimes our past experiences are influencing the way that we relate to ourselves, and others. If you are curious to make those connections, and create new ones, I can help.

A life worth living is one that is full of relationships, and commitments that align with and express our personal values; a life of meaning and purpose. For many people with BPD or CPTSD, such a life feels like a fantasy, wholly unattainable and not within grasp. We often simply hope for a life we can survive, getting through day to day, weeks, months, and staying alive and ok. But we can hope for more than that from life. We can recover and heal, and learn about ourselves and what makes us come alive. I’m here to help you navigate overwhelming emotion so you can feel safe and grounded; connect to yourself so you feel powerful.

I understand the power of mind-body connection and look for ways to address this in therapy. I love to think outside the box; I believe in the healing power of nature, art, music, meditation/mindfulness and body-centered practices. I highly recommend trying Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing for trauma. I have extensive experience working cross-culturally with people from diverse backgrounds. I will provide a judgment-free safe space for you to tell your story.

Have you been a go-getter all your life, only to find that you feel resentful and burnt out? As a high achiever, it’s confusing to suddenly feel disconnected from the passion that has always driven you. Maybe this dissatisfaction has been slowly growing over the years & you’ve been able to manage it. But now you’re finding it harder to feel interested in your work or relationships. You may also be feeling exhausted & curious why your skills simply aren't working anymore. The habitual stress associated with being a powerful go-getter can also lead to a variety of health problems that medical doctors aren’t skilled at addressing.

Society often projects certain beliefs onto individuals, which can lead us to feel disconnected from ourselves and others. We can find ourselves lost in the sea of expectations how we should or should not act, feel, love, do, pursue, or be. This can develop into debilitating symptoms of never feeling good enough or always striving for perfection that does not exist. We are all human. We all deserve to be heard, seen and to be a little messy. Your emotions, thoughts, dreams are not a burden. This is your space. Your time.

Intimacy & sex shouldn't be a burden. But when you look at your calendar and see "Date Night" deep down, you struggle with the conflicting feelings coming up. Yes, the ambiance will be beautiful. And you’re sure the meal will be lovely. And you’ll have a great time talking and laughing with your partner. But the entire time, you’ll dread the end of the night when you get into bed and you’re expected to have sex. You know sex is supposed to be an exciting, enjoyable thing, but for you, it’s anything but. Even sex scenes in movies make you uncomfortable. You feel guilty and inadequate as a partner. If only you had answers.

Life can be really hard and oftentimes we need additional support. I love working with individuals through life's transitions and challenges. A belief and dedication to growth, resilience, and well-being, I prioritize trauma-informed care and social justice in my practice. I emphasize authenticity and genuine connections by integrating empathy, creativity, and humor into sessions using Gestalt Therapy. Whether guiding teens or adults through various life’s transitions or focusing on improving a client’s mental well-being, my approach remains culturally conscious and sensitive to individual experiences in the broader societal context

It is a passion of mine to work with others toward becoming better versions of themselves, and live a life that fulfills them. Taking that first step in starting therapy can be intimidating, but so worth it. I work with young and middle-aged adults focusing on anxiety, depression, complex trauma, life transitions, academic/career stress, self-esteem/self worth, dating/relational challenges, queer/trans/LGBTQIA+ identity& experience, and desire for individual growth. I also work with therapist trainees and associates, offering support for imposter syndrome, work and life balance, burnout, and systemic challenges in mental healthcare.