Colleen Long, Psychologist in Hermosa Beach, 90254

Dr. Colleen Long, Psy.D.

Profession(s):
Psychology, Psychotherapy, Mental Health Counseling
License Status:
I'm a licensed professional.
Primary License:
Clinical Health Psychologist - PSY23911

My Approach to Helping

I believe that it is our core need for self growth that trumps all other drives, and that many of the issues we encounter from day to day, are symptomatic of our psychological growth being stunted. My therapy approach collaboratively confronts the individual or couple to make apparent the unspoken dynamics many therapies often collude with. My office is not a safe space, in that clients may feel unsettled at times in order to promote more rapid growth, change, and transformation.

I use the tenets from positive psychology to identify and detect the strengths of each person, and then help them to apply these to their life to increase their sense of well-being as well as their sense of self. I believe that it is not someone else's job to "complete us," but our job to complete ourselves. Moreover- we can't become someone's other half, if we are ourselves are not yet whole.

In addition to the couples work I do- I see quite a bit of young adults (and even older adults) struggling with the generational gaps today's technology provides. I see people who feel isolated in a world of over-communication. I see people who feel they have no friends but have over 1000 on facebook. My work provides clients with solid tools to establish a core sense of self, so that they may navigate the world from their own steer.

Lastly, I supervise three interns who have various specialties and work on a sliding scale basis. So if you need help, please call our office and we will do our best to help you, or refer you to someone who can.

More Info About My Practice

Insurance panels accepted: Medicare, Blue Shield, UBH, Tricare
Out of network: Blue cross (usually pays 60-70%), Aetna

Couples Sessions $225/hour
Individual Intake $200 (50-60 minutes)
Individual 1:1 session $175 (45 minutes)

Payment is due at time of service (cash, visa/mc, check) and you will be provided with a super bill to submit to your insurance for reimbursement.

My View on the Purpose of Psychotherapy

The purpose of engaging in psychotherapy is for self-growth. Without self-awareness, we often fumble from one life event to the next, never really acknowledging our own personal responsibility for our unhappiness. It is through this deep understanding of ourselves, that we can better relate to others, and have a more fulfilling work, family, and love life. Until we can learn to see the deepest, darkest parts in ourselves, we prevent ourselves from the best in us. We have to clean out the sediments from the wound, to prevent the infection. In other words- until we understand our selves and why we tick the way we do- we will continually be symptomatic. Instead of putting a band-aid on it by buying more, drinking more, drugging more- we have to become comfortable with the uncomfortable process of self-discovery and growth.

Theoretical Influences that Guide My Work

David Schnarch has been a paramount guiding force in my training. His work identifies the need for each person to be able to stand on their own two feet, and I believe this is the missing piece in couples' (and individual issues) 99% of the time.

Services I Provide

Individual Therapy & Counseling
Marriage, Couples, or Relationship Counseling
Family Therapy
Group Therapy
Mediation
Coaching
Consultation
Clinical Supervision
Online Counseling / Phone Therapy
Home-Based Therapy
Other

Ages I Work With

Children
Teens
Adults
Elders

Languages I Speak

English
Farsi

Groups I Work With

Marital/Couples Counseling, sexual desire/intimacy issues, Young adult quarter life crises, overeating/weight loss counseling, pre-surgery psych evaluations (bariatric, egg donor, surrogate, spinal cord stim implant), forensic evaluations, cancer diagnoses, chronic pain, pregnancy/parental support.