SERVICES
Specialty Areas
LGBTQIA+ Affirmative Care
Our LGBTQIA+ Affirmative Care includes care for the whole sexuality and gender spectrum. We see the entire spectrum of queer identities as valid and worthy of specialized, well informed support. For those seeking gender affirmative care, care also can include referrals to medical resources for gender health care (Hormone Replacement Therapy, Hormone Blockers, Gender Affirmation Surgeries, etc). While we do not consider ourselves experts in the following, we also welcome those who identify with ethically non-monogamous, polyamorous, and kink communities.
As a queer individual, participating in LGBTQIA+ Affirmative Care will help you to identify and overcome any barriers to living authentically within your identity. The exploration and expression of your identity will be validated and celebrated. If you don’t know already, you’ll learn how society can systematically work to discourage authentic expression of natural identities, and learn to take any blame and shame off of yourself. You’ll learn ways that you personally can best thrive within a marginalized identity.
Trauma Informed Care
Our trauma informed care includes both "Capital T" traumas (trauma as a result of assaults, accidents, natural disasters, etc), along with relational trauma (trauma that comes from unhealthy, abusive, or painful family, romantic, or other interpersonal relationships). Our trauma informed modalities include Compassionate Inquiry, Internal Family Systems, and EMDR.
Whether or not the tough experiences in your past actually “clinically count” as trauma, we can help you to explore how your personal and generational history has shaped you. Healing from trauma or other equally challenging experiences can look like releasing your negative core beliefs, helping you to better access your emotions and feel them safely, reconnecting you with your body and gut instincts, and / or empowering you to assertively navigate your life. We will help you to identify exactly what internal processes are holding you back so that you can move forward with more confidence.
With trauma, it is also common to experience anxiety, depression, substance use, legal concerns, interpersonal concerns, school and work concerns as side effects. We support with these types of concerns as well.
Individual
Therapy
Book with Rae or Angela. In person sessions and virtual sessions available. Ages 12+.
Fee:
$200 for 50 Minutes
Family
Therapy
Book with Rae or Angela. All ages welcome. Available as an adjunct service to individual therapy.
Fee:
$200 for 50 Minutes
Equine Assisted
Life Coaching
Angela is the GNEC equine provider. Ranch location: Malibu. Ages 18+. See description below.
Fee:
$225 for 60 Minutes
Limited sliding scale slots are available for those in financial hardship.
Equine Assisted Life Coaching
Equine Assisted Life Coaching is available for ages 18+ and is a supplemental service to individual therapy. Are you interested in a unique healing experience on an ocean view ranch in Malibu? Equine Assisted Life Coaching holds a variety of opportunities in connecting with your inner child, your inner playfulness and innocence, increasing your own self awareness, and learning to enhance your communication in relationships through working with the horses. A portion of the fee goes directly to horse care and horse supplies for Connemara Ranch.
Note: Closed toed shoes and long pants required. Some combination of sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat and protective clothing are suggested. Bring any water or snacks. Previous experience with horses not required. Equine Assisted Life Coaching is not a trail ride experience, but trail rides can be booked with Talley at Connemara Ranch directly. Availability depends on ranch schedule and sessions will be canceled during rain or other unsuitable conditions. Please expect to get a little dirty and dress in clothing that you can be active in. Additional liability releases will be signed at the ranch. Ages 18 and younger or those with incompatible schedules with Angela may book equine services through Connemara Ranch directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for your services?
In the United States, therapists are licensed by state. Both Rae and Angela are licensed in California and therefore can only provide services to those currently in California.
Do you accept my insurance?
We are out of network for insurance. If you have a PPO plan from some major insurance providers, they may accept a superbill for out of network reimbursement. We recommend checking with your insurance provider to see if they accept them, and at what rate they reimburse. In lieu of insurance, we also provide sliding scale to those in financial need. Please inquire about current sliding scale availability and rates.
One reason we are Out of Network for insurance is that insurance companies require some of your personal data, such as a diagnosis, to reimburse for care. This is also the case for superbills. Please note that submitting superbills will put a diagnosis on your record.
What is the process of starting therapy?
First, we invite you to participate in a free 15-20 minute phone consultation to determine if we are a good match for your current needs.
If we seem to be a good match for you and you would like to move forward with therapy, we will schedule your first appointment and send you therapy consent documents through an online client portal to e-sign. This includes a credit card form, which is how we accept payment. Paperwork must be completed by the first session in order to start sessions.
If during the consultation we determine we are not the best match for you, we are happy to give you referrals for more appropriate therapeutic matches, or matches that better meet your other criteria (such as time of week you have session).
What is Compassionate Inquiry?
Compassionate Inquiry (CI) is a dynamic somatic approach to therapy based on the work of Dr. Gabor Maté. This approach helps get to the root of mental health concerns by exploring how our current distressing perceptions are connected to unprocessed trauma stored in the body, and how childhood wounding continues to show up in our adult life. CI is influenced by other major therapy modalities and psychological theories, including but not limited to: Somatic Experiencing, Internal Family Systems, Attachment Theory, Polyvagal Theory, and Interpersonal Neurobiology.
Both Angela and Rae offer CI sessions. Angela is certified in CI and Rae is fully trained.
What is EMDR?
EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a type of therapy used to help people heal from trauma and PTSD symptoms by focusing on traumatic memories while using bilateral stimulation (usually through eye movements or tapping). The use of bilateral stimulation accesses a part of the brain that cannot typically be accessed through traditional talk therapy. EMDR can reduce vividness of the traumatic memories being reprocessed.
Rae offers EMDR sessions and is fully trained through the Institute for Creative Mindfulness.
What is Internal Family Systems?
Internal Family Systems (IFS), also known as parts work, is a therapy modality that moves away from the idea of "mono-mind", or the idea that the mind is just one entity. Instead, IFS sees our nervous systems as dynamic systems that hold multiple subpersonalities, or parts, that each have their own unique qualities and needs. Some examples of parts include professional parts, inner children, parts that seek substances for relief, the inner critic, and people pleasing parts. IFS can help reduce internal conflict (such as a conflict between a part that still wants to get high and a part that wants to get sober), release trauma stored by wounded parts, and move towards internal harmony.
Angela offers IFS sessions and is Level 1 trained through the IFS Institute.
How long will I be in therapy for?
This answer really depends on you! You sign up for sessions one by one, with no obligation to continue. Therapy can last anywhere from a couple sessions to a handful of years. Because we are not bound by the limitations insurance places on therapy services, you are able to book sessions as long as you want support.
If we see that you are stagnant in our care, we will discuss with you the need to continue. If you require additional support in an area that we do not specialize in, we also may discuss connecting you with a new provider with that specialty. In most other cases, you decide how long you stay, and how much work you would like to do together.