Hi, I’m Vicki.
Where I come from:
I have a background in critical thinking from my undergraduate and film school studies. Then as a therapist I have worked as a LA Suicide Prevention Center counselor, at CalFam community clinic and as a supervisor and consultant with trainees, associates and licensed therapists. This combination of analytical background, crisis intervention skills and thousands of hours of sitting with a variety of clients has helped me gain skills in working with depression, anxiety and big questions about the meaning of life and how to be happier. In my work with high-achieving professionals from creative industries, academia and the business world, I’ve learned to help you understand why you might get caught up in issues like imposter syndrome, perfectionism and confusion over your real values.
How I work:
I believe that as children, we develop ways of relating to the world and others based on what we’re going through at the time (family dynamics, bullying, abuse, trauma, our own difficult chemistry, whatever you’ve struggled with). Maybe your way was to pretend to be perfect, or to withdraw before anyone could hurt you. We build all sorts of brilliant survival strategies, but decades later, we can wake up to find they’re now holding us back. Maybe we realize that our relationships are hard, our work is grueling, or that we’re anxious, or depressed, or obsessive. By exploring this together, we can find new ways to cope, building insight and strategies that bring you more peace.
Training:
University of Pennsylvania BA in English
University of Southern California MA in Film History and Criticism
California State University, Northridge MS in Marriage and Family Therapy
Philips Graduate Institute/CalFam Counseling Center Clinical Supervisor
Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center Counselor 1998-2003
Grief and Loss, 6-hour Grief Treatment Approaches training
Attachment-Focused EMDR, 9-hour online training
AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy) training on this Relational Trauma Healing model
NARM (Neuro-Affective Relational Model) 4-part training
Fees & Regulations
$220 for individuals
Although I am not affiliated with any insurance company, I can provide a superbill (monthly invoice) which you can submit to your insurance company. Often they offer partial reimbursement; feel free to check with your carrier about how much they will reimburse for an out-of-network provider using a 90834 CPT code.
You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical and mental health care will cost. Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services, including psychotherapy services. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services, including psychotherapy services. You can ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.
The Board of Behavioral Sciences receives and responds to complaints regarding services provided within the scope of practice of (marriage and family therapists, licensed educational psychologists, clinical social workers, or professional clinical counselors). You may contact the board online at www.bbs.ca.gov, or by calling (916) 574-7830.
Ready to connect?
Let go of certainty. The opposite isn't uncertainty. It's openness, curiosity and a willingness to embrace paradox, rather than choose up sides.
Tony Schwartz
