Telehealth (Video Therapy) Clinicians

Carolina is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist who is passionate about helping clients create healthy relationships. She aids clients by helping them identify, embody, and express their emotional needs. Carolina aims to help people develop secure attachment skills so that they may enjoy nourishing and fulfilling relationships. She finds meaning in helping clients work through many life transitions and challenges so that they may construct a life which aligns with their most deeply held values and which includes a loving support system.

Carolina has a special interest in grief counseling and spent 15 months at Elizabeth Hospice where she provided bereavement counseling for both hospice families and community members. Carolina also has 2 years of experience working with college students, helping them identify their strengths, improve their relationships, and come to understand their lives more profoundly. Carolina enjoys working with a wide range of clients, including but not limited to immigrants, second-generation Americans, and transcultural clients. She also has a special interest in uplifting women by helping them increase their self-esteem, self-compassion, courage, and self-confidence.

Carolina received her Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy and her Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics, both from San Diego State University. Carolina's theoretical approach draws upon Narrative Therapy and Attachment Theory, which address problems from systemic and relational perspectives. Carolina strongly believes in the importance of understanding clients’ intersecting identities (such as age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and SES) and how societal discourses of power and privilege are inextricably tied to many of the problems which clients seek to address in therapy.

Victoria Sarmiento is a bilingual Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 12 years of experience working with adults, children, adolescents and families with ADHD, Anxiety, High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder, Depression, Trauma and related diagnoses.

Victoria received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Boston University and her Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego.

Victoria began her career working for a non-profit organization that serves adult survivors of sexual assault, sexual abuse and domestic violence. After several years she transitioned her career to serving children, youth and their families inside the educational system working for San Diego Unified School District. Over the past four years Victoria has focused on working with adolescents in the high school setting and adolescents with high-functioning Autism in a specialized school setting. Each work location provided Victoria with an opportunity to work with diverse populations from a variety of socio-economic, religious, sexual orientation, gender identity, cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

Victoria is often described as a welcoming, kind, attentive and attune therapist. She values the importance of creating a warm and safe environment for individuals to focus on themselves and address the issues that bring them to therapy.  She utilizes a strength-based approach and works closely with clients to identify what they do well and help them identify the answers they are looking for from within. Victoria has extensive training and experience utilizing a variety of therapeutic modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT), Prolonged Exposure, Relaxation Therapy, Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, Play Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Imago Therapy. She is also a certified Youth Mental Health First Aid trainer.

Rebecca is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker specializing in stress management, grief and loss, mood disorders, family caregivers, military families, and relationship issues. She has experience providing individual and group services to adults and seniors in medical, behavioral health, and non-profit settings. 

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Rebecca takes an active, non-judgmental, and creative approach in treatment to support clients in reaching their goals and sustaining meaningful growth, balance and change. She prioritizes strengths-based and client-centered approaches with respect for diverse backgrounds while offering humor, psychoeducation, and practical coping strategies to increase healthy behaviors, self-awareness, and self-compassion. She most often draws upon techniques and theories found in mindfulness, solution-focused therapy, art therapy, motivational interviewing, and cognitive-behavioral therapy. 

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Rebecca received her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, and her Masters of Social Work from Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, New York in 2015.

Karina is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with a passion for providing quality services to individuals struggling with mental health concerns. She received a Master’s of Science in Counseling from San Diego State University with an emphasis in Child Development in 2017. Karina’s vision is to ensure a safe therapeutic atmosphere is created for clients and their families to experience their vulnerabilities while sharing the challenges or barriers they may be facing. She is experienced in Dialectical Behavioral, Cognitive Behavioral, Psychodynamic, and Solution Focused Therapy and strives to help individuals understand and overcome their unhealthy thought processes.

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Karina has a broad range of clinical experience working with individuals of all ages in the following areas: Depression, Anxiety, Behavioral Challenges, Self-Harm Behavior, Anger and Stress Management, Trauma and Abuse, and Self-Image and Self-Esteem issues.

Karina’s approach emphasizes the mutual development of goals for therapy and ongoing evaluation throughout the therapeutic process. She continues to seek growth professionally by constantly updating and improving her skills and knowledge base. Karina is invested in an integrative and dynamic approach to mental health and looks forward to supporting you on your journey!

Giovanna is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who offers a supportive and trauma informed approach and is excited to work with clients in need. Giovanna has experience treating individuals, couples and families living with chronic illness, Trauma and Stress Disorders, Depressive Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, Adjustment Disorders, relationship issues and mood disorders.

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Giovanna completed her Bachelors degree in Communication Arts from Regis University, her Master’s Degree in Sociology from Humboldt State University and her Master’s Degree in Psychology from Chapman University. After completing her Masters degree in Sociology, Giovanna worked in skilled nursing for over 10 years, helping clients adjust to and deal with grief and loss, as well as, adjustment issues associated with physical and mental health. After completing her Masters degree in Psychology, Giovanna has worked to assure that each of her clients has received the care that they need. Giovanna has experience working with individuals with varying mental health concerns, including chronic long-term health issues. 

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Giovanna is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Narrative Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Solution Focused Therapy. Giovanna believes in a strength-based approach that is holistic, eclectic and guided by the individual needs of the client.

Marissa is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist who is passionate about building a strong therapeutic relationship by way of collaboratively creating a safe and transparent space for individuals. She has expertise providing individual, group, couples, and forensic psychotherapy to adolescents, teens and adults. Marissa has obtained skills in treating a variety of painful life experiences including but not limited to depression, anxiety, PTSD, complex trauma, suicidality, homicidality, personality disorders and interpersonal conflict. Specific clinical settings include private practice, intensive outpatient care, and mandated therapy working with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 
 
Marissa received her BA in Psychology from The University of California, Riverside, and received her MA in Clinical Counseling: Marriage and Family Therapy, from Point Loma Nazarene University. She also holds several certifications in Suicide Assessment, Somatic Experiencing, and is working towards her certificate of Somatic Experience Practitioner with The Trauma Institute. Marissa utilizes a variety of techniques based in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and The Transtheoretical Model. She also incorporates non-judgmental awareness and radical empathy into her clinical practice, with the intent to meet clients wherever they’re at in their journey.
 
Human experience is hard enough to process, but our strength is not measured by how much we are willing to endure. Marissa desires to walk beside you with compassion and cultural sensitivity, while also committing to continue to grow, learn and challenge herself to maintain a trusting and secure therapeutic alliance.