Welcome! My name is Yvonne and I practice integrative psychotherapy, drawing from a constellation of supportive modalities to nurture healing across mental, emotional, physical, and energetic dimensions. In addition to my clinical work, I also serve as an educator, facilitating groups and teaching in classroom settings.
What draws me to this work is a deep love and curiosity for the human experience. I feel honored to walk alongside individuals as they explore their inner worlds, heal old wounds, and reconnect with their most essential selves.
Clients often describe my therapeutic care as a blend of warm and direct:
Warm, in the way I bring presence, compassion, and humor
Direct, in the way I actively engage and gently guide you inward
I deeply value the opportunity to build meaningful therapeutic relationships, which often serve as a powerful agent of transformation. I believe therapy is not only a space for healing, but also a sacred space for remembering what it means to be fully human: to feel, to grow, and to come home to ourselves.
My Approach
Healing can be a process of unfolding, revealing the inner strength that emerges when we reconnect with our essential being and our belonging to the greater mystery of existence. This reconnection is often at the heart of enduring healing. Healing isn’t approached as searching for what’s wrong or trying to fix what’s broken. It’s approached as remembering that you are already whole, inherently worthy, and deeply human. My work is grounded in a trauma-informed, integrative model that honors your inner wisdom and lived experience.
Together, we’ll co-create an adaptive and supportive process that evolves in response to your needs. I integrate a variety of therapeutic modalities, including:
Humanistic, Person Centered, and Relational
Psychodynamic, Attachment-focused
Narrative Therapy, Storytelling
CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy)
Energy Psychology (Usui Reiki Master certification), transpersonal psychotherapy, and nature-based
Somatic, embodied, body-based, and nervous system regulation techniques
Parts Work, Internal Family Systems (IFS) (workshop training)
Compassionate Inquiry (CI) (in training)
Focus Areas for Adults
I hold a particular resonance for supporting individuals who have experienced early life trauma, emotional neglect, and attachment wounds.
Lasting Impacts May Include:
Low self-worth and shame
Limiting core beliefs
Nervous system dysregulation
Relational difficulties
Chronic self-criticism, perfectionism, and people-pleasing
Therapy for Adolescents (Ages 12+)
Adolescence is a special time of incredible growth, change, and self-discovery, and it can also come with significant challenges. With over 10 years of experience as an educator, mentor, group facilitator, and therapist working with teens, I’m deeply committed to supporting young people as they navigate this meaningful and sometimes overwhelming stage of life.
I offer a safe and nonjudgmental space where teens feel seen, heard, and valued just as they are. My approach is compassionate, collaborative, and grounded in the belief that every young person has the strength and wisdom within them to heal, grow, and thrive. I’m here to walk alongside them with care, respect, and curiosity, helping them make sense of who they are and who they’re becoming.
Exploring and embracing identity
Building confidence and authentic self-expression
Navigating anxiety, depression, or emotional overwhelm
Understanding and healing from past trauma
Developing healthy coping and self-regulation skills
Clarifying future goals and dreams
Training & Experience
My clinical experience has spanned a variety of therapeutic settings, allowing me to work with diverse populations and a wide range of mental health concerns, from acute crises to long-term healing processes.
CLINICAL TRAINING
Evolve Treatment Center – Ojai, CA, Provided individual and group psychotherapy in a residential treatment setting for adolescents navigating complex trauma, mood disorders, and addiction
Private Practice of Gary Linker, Ph.D – Santa Barbara, CA, Worked under clinical supervision in a psychodynamic, depth-oriented private practice, supporting adult clients through trauma recovery, life transitions, and relational healing
Community Counseling and Education Center (CCEC) – Santa Barbara, CA, Offered low-cost, community-based therapy services for individuals, couples, and families—focusing on accessibility and depth of care
Student Health Services, Ventura College – Ventura, CA, Provided counseling services to college students within a multicultural, short-term therapy model. Supported students with anxiety, depression, identity development, and academic stress
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
I’m a member of the following professional organizations, which support ethical standards, continuing education, and a vibrant community of practitioners:
Santa Barbara Chapter of the California Association of Marriage & Family Therapists
California Association of Marriage & Family Therapists
EDUCATION
My path to psychotherapy is grounded in a deep commitment to research and academic study, holistic healing practices, and meaningful clinical experience. I bring a trauma-informed, integrative lens to my work, drawing from a constellation of supportive modalities to support healing on mental, emotional, physical, and energetic dimensions.
Academic Background
M.A. Clinical Psychology, Antioch University
M.L.I.S. Master of Library & Information Science, Queens College
B.A. Philosophy, Ohio State University
H.S. Degree in Fine and Applied Art
ADDITIONAL TRAINING & CERTIFICATIONS
Usui System Reiki Master, trained with Shari Davidson at the Tribeca School of Hypnosis and Healing
Certified Home Herbalist, trained through the East West School of Planetary Herbology
Compassionate Inquiry (CI) (ongoing), with Gabor Mate and Sat Dharam Kaur
Internal Family Systems (IFS) Workshop