Holistic Jungian therapist specializing in trauma and relationships
Greetings!
I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California (LMFT) and I have been working in the counseling field for about 10 years. I have experience in conducting individual, marital, pre-marital and group therapy, in-office and online and in outpatient settings with clients who are presenting with depression, anxiety, relationship and parenting issues, teen concerns, and a wide range of other challenges and life adjustments such as: grief/loss, self-esteem issues, trauma, abuse, changes in the home, co-parenting issues, military life issues as well as personal growth and crisis.
I mostly tend to draw from the cognitive behavioral approach because I believe that a good collaborative approach between client and therapist is conducive to a great outcome in treatment while addressing disturbances of cognitive processes that can affect functioning with a focus on changing cognitions to produce desired changes in affect and behavior. This means that I make an effort to check in with my client to consider the therapeutic relationship, I may assign homework as an optional exercise to further treatment while psycho-educating the client so that they are aware of how treatment will be structured and what will be focus of treatment. My approach is generally time limited and focused on addressing a structured target problem. While I may also draw from other modalities, such as solution focused and client centered approach meaning that I will address short-term goals and long-term goals while meeting the client “where they are” and not rushing the treatment. My goal is to create a welcoming, inviting environment and help in discovering themselves and bringing awareness to the client so that they may take an active role both inside and outside the therapy sessions and develop strategies to address the behavior changes they want to achieve.
I also provide Christian Counseling as a guide to help clients achieve peace and provide support from a spiritual perspective.
My Educational Credentials include:
– Licensed by the State of California, Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS)
– Phillips Graduate University Masters of Arts in Psychology through the Marriage and Family Therapy program
– Certified in Managing and Adaptive Practices (MAP) an Evidenced Based Practice
-Certified in Seeking Safety an Evidenced Based Practice
– Certified in Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST) an Evidenced Based Practice
I enjoy and feel honored to be a part of someone’s personal experiences, and to be a part of their personal growth. We all carry a story and there is hope in every story. I am just a white canvas for you to paint your story. As a team, addressing challenges together, and coming to a resolution is a unique process for every individual and together we can find peace and freedom from pain for the purpose of living a life where you can find the beauty and peacefulness of this life.
For my professional growth, I continuously read related literature, keep myself up to date with the ethical and legal guidelines in the field, and the latest research, and attend conferences and trainings.
I believe in creating a safe space, free from judgment, where we can have difficult conversations for the purpose of working on resolving issues and collaborate on treatment plans that are tailored to your personal needs, goals and experiences. It takes a lot of courage and motivation to reach out for additional support. I am here for you and thank you for trusting me with your utmost personal dilemmas.
I look forward to working with you!
Licensed · Professional · Cancel Anytime
Ana Montenegro is a California-licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with ten years of clinical experience working in outpatient settings. She provides individual, marital, pre-marital and group therapy both in-office and online for people facing depression, anxiety, relationship and parenting challenges, teen concerns, grief and loss, self-esteem struggles, trauma and abuse, changes in the home, co-parenting difficulties, military life issues, and other life adjustments or crises.
Her work is grounded primarily in cognitive behavioral therapy, applied in a collaborative way so clients and therapist work together to identify thinking patterns that affect emotions and behavior. She routinely incorporates psychoeducation, periodic check-ins about the therapeutic relationship, and optional homework to reinforce progress. Her approach is often time-limited and focused on a structured target problem, while also integrating solution-focused and client-centered techniques to address both short-term and longer-term goals.
Ana aims to create a welcoming, inviting atmosphere where clients can develop self-awareness and take an active role in change inside and outside sessions. She helps people build practical strategies to reach the behavior changes they want and meets each person where they are rather than rushing the process. She also offers Christian counseling as a spiritual framework to support clients seeking peace and guidance from a faith perspective.
She holds a master of arts in psychology through the Marriage and Family Therapy program at Phillips Graduate University and is licensed by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences as a Marriage and Family Therapist (license CA LMFT 50293). Ana is certified in evidence-based practices including Managing and Adaptive Practices (MAP), Seeking Safety, and Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST).
Ana values continual professional growth and stays current by reading relevant literature, following ethical and legal guidelines in the field, reviewing the latest research, and attending conferences and trainings. She considers it an honor to accompany people through their personal stories and to help them find hope, peace, and renewed freedom from pain.
Many people wonder whether remote counseling can truly help. For common concerns such as stress, anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, or navigating life changes, online therapy has been shown to be just as effective as traditional in-person sessions.
One major benefit is convenience – you can connect in the format that fits your routine and comfort level, whether that is a video call, a phone session, live chat, or in-app messaging. This flexibility makes it easier to include therapy in a busy schedule and to maintain continuity of care.
Licensed professionals provide online services, and if a different therapeutic fit is needed you are able to switch therapists. For many people, remote therapy offers an accessible, effective way to address everyday mental health concerns while keeping therapy practical and integrated into daily life.
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