Therapists in Seal Beach, CA

My clients are often those who want to understand their ADHD or autism better, who have been dehumanized by treatment professionals in the past, who are frustrated by vague therapy answers, who fear they are "too much" or "too different". Overall, those who want to find the beauty in the darkness rather than denying the darkness, and who want to sit crooked and talk straight. I have particular passion for serving those with complex body relationships due to trauma, gender dysphoria, body image disturbance, disability, and systemic oppression.

Are you looking to find support for yourself or your child but don't know where to start? Struggling with overwhelm and shutting down instead of feeling productive and joyful? I specialize in working with anxiety, depression, trauma, and self-esteem. I'm here to provide effective and compassionate support that goes beyond listening and decreasing superficial symptoms. I tailor my approach to everyone's unique needs, using evidence-based modalities including EMDR, CBT, play therapy, and expressive arts.

Are you feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and stuck? Everyday life is hard to manage? You know something has to change but you're not sure where to begin? Have you experienced trauma or painful moments that seem hard to control and let go? At this point you've probably noticed challenges in your relationships and work or school. It may be hard to see but there is a life in which you wake up feeling good and excited about what you can do compared to dreading what you have to do. Working through these challenging times can be the key to creating the life you want. I'm here to help you find calm, focus, and control in your life again.

There is no one approach to psychotherapy that is right for everyone.  As your therapist, I will take a highly individualized approach to the work that we do by starting with a comprehensive approach to understanding your unique circumstances and goals.  My work is always guided by the  principles of a psychodynamic approach, is informed by a wide range of psychoanalytic theories and is grounded in the wisdom of somatic experiencing.

Are you are a parent struggling with a child? Are you feeling stuck, overwhelmed or lost? Maybe you are in a relationship that feels broken and you want to find healing, but don't know where to begin? Is your past keeping you burdened? It might feel like you have tried everything and have not made progress. Together, we will guide you back towards rediscovering a purposeful existence. My goal is to help you feel calm and a sense of relief by reducing your symptoms as quickly as possible. I will tailor your treatment so we can achieve your goals and meet your specific needs.

Healing cannot occur in isolation and as your therapist I will support and guide you on your path. I am a Holistic Psychotherapist in private practice for over 15 years. I was classically trained in psychoanalytic psychotherapy but my style has evolved over the years to be more humanistic and includes various treatment modalities including Somatic Experiencing.I have a special affinity for working with adults who have survived childhood trauma including sexual abuse, physical abuse and developmental trauma. My practice also focuses on supporting women in their journey through motherhood, mood disorders, and relational therapy

I have provided mental health services for a wide variety of disorders and diverse populations of children and adults for over 20 years. I am licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist in multiple states. I use a holistic approaches to facilitate therapeutic change. I infuse my work with elements from evidenced-based interventions, behavioral, cognitive, experiential and psychodynamic therapies, and art therapy. My therapeutic work facilitates the individuals' desired changes using traditional and non-traditional methods, such as art therapy, EMDR, neurofeedback, mindfulness, and interpersonal process therapy.

Do you desire inner harmony, life satisfaction & greater joy in your life? Are you ready to heal from your emotional pain & enhance the quality of your life and relationships? As a compassionate therapist, I can guide you along your healing journey. I am dedicated to helping my clients succeed, experience inner peace, self-acceptance, joy, hope and love. I am intuitive, empathetic, multicultural & multilingual with over 10 years of experience. My specialty areas include: anxiety, PTSD/trauma, attachment issues, depression, addiction, relationship issues (couples and families), grief & loss and self-esteem issue for adults, children & adolescents.

Personal discovery and growth is one of life's greatest challenges but also provides one of life's greatest rewards. Through my own healing journey to address childhood trauma, I did many years traditional talk therapy. While I found this to be helpful, it wasn’t until I discovered somatic experiencing (SE) therapy that I began to experience a deep settling in my body and mind in a relatively short period of time. This settling of the nervous system can lead to a newfound sense of feeling present and engaged in life. One gains more capacity to experience positive emotions, tolerate negative emotions without becoming overwhelmed.

I understand the importance of needing to feel understood and seen. When therapy is successful, we often will experience a greater sense of spaciousness inside ourselves, freedom from our own judgments, and are reminded that confronting our pain won’t destroy us. The goal is not a short-term fix but instead a long-term shift that brings forth feelings of empowerment, resiliency, and a confidence that our brains and our lives can change. As a consequence of shifting our relationship to ourselves and to our pain, the uncomfortable symptoms often associated with anxiety, trauma, and depression begin to dissolve and loosen their grip.

I am a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, Certified Sex Therapist, and hold a PhD in Somatic Psychology (body psychology). This unique combination of credentials facilitates a focus on clients' cognitive process as well as mind-body health. I work with a diverse client base including women, men, couples and gender-diverse individuals on relationship and sexuality issues. My treatment specialties include: recovery of sexual health after sexual trauma, sexless marriages/relationships, compulsive sexuality (often called "addiction") and non-traditional sexual expression including fetishes and redefining monogamy.

I specialize in supporting individuals through journeys of life transitions, family building (foster care, adoption, or reproductive medicine), aging, grief/loss, and trauma. I support you as you learn to navigate challenges brought on by significant life events, look for the lessons hiding in such challenges, and find your way back to your heart amidst them. It is always a privilege and honor to walk alongside you as you seek to live life consciously - growing, living, or aging with purpose.

I have experience in inpatient and outpatient settings working with eating disorders, addictions, depression and anxiety, and trauma. I understand and respect the mind-body connection and how it can be an avenue for healing and change.I see the therapeutic relationship as a partnership and I provide a safe, comfortable and compassionate space. This space allows individuals to openly explore thoughts, emotions and behavior patterns, while learning to express emotions and relieve distress in a healthy way. I balance this with an authentic and direct approach which guides and challenges clients to move forward in their growth process.

Are you seeking to HEAL your anxiety, worry, addiction, depression and relationship difficulties, rather than just cope with them for the rest of your life? Are you exhausted from constantly feeling like something is wrong with you or being told something is wrong with you? Has inner and outer conflict got you feeling overwhelmed or shut down? I specialize in a direct psycho-spiritual approach that involves looking at each person from a holistic wellness model. Rather than pathologizing, we will see everything as a necessary part of your human experience and create the relationship you want with others, as well as yourself.

I enjoy working with adults and couples from the diverse background. I specialize in working with API clients struggling with anxiety, panic attacks, depression, unresolved past trauma, marital/relationship challenges, navigating identity, life transitions, grief, and intergenerational trauma. I specialize in helping interracial couples to repair/improve their connection and communication. I'm bilingual with English and Japanese, and can offer sessions in either or both languages. I understand how the interplay between our cultural identity and family background can play an important role in our experience of the world.

Kimmy Hunkle, MA., LMFT (120934), APCC, CCPS, CADC II (A043920317) earned her M.A. degree in Counseling Psychology; Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy, Professional Clinical Counseling & Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara. She is a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist (LMFT), Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC), Certified Clinical Partner Specialist (CCPS) with the Association of Partners of Sex Addicts Trauma Specialist (APSATS), a Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor (CADCII) and EMDR trained. If you are in pain seeking hope or heart healing, I looking forward to your call.

You hope for a therapist who won't shy away from the difficult topics. Every part of you is welcome here. As a trans therapist and HAES-informed provider, I believe that you deserve a non-judgemental space where you can build a sense of safety and trust on your own terms. You want to shed feelings of shame and guilt that keep you looping back to unhealthy behaviors. I believe in your ability to learn new coping skills and your capacity to become even more resilient. If you decide you want to, together we can face the memories and emotions you've had to avoid in order to survive. You choose the destination, I’ll help you get there.

My general frame work is that you cannot separate the body from the mind nor can you separate a person from their life time of experiences, therefore working with all of these systems is a highly effective way to improve happiness, decrease anxiety and stress, and increase coping skills to manage life with more ease and improved relationships. Now offering emergency Intensive Couples Counseling! I work well with individuals and couples who are seeking to learn more holistic ways to address their emotional and relational challenges whether they be family of origin issues, trauma, chronic illness, anxiety, or depression.

Sometimes our life experiences lead us astray from our true nature which may cause unwanted struggles and allow false beliefs to dictate how we show up in the world. If you are experiencing difficulties in your life or problems with your relationships and want to create a healthier life that brings you peace, joy, purpose, and fulfillment, I welcome the opportunity to support you. I have great admiration for those who choose transformation. I know the strength, courage, and vulnerability it takes to live and express as your authentic self. It is not easy, but with the proper support and guidance, positive growth is possible.