As a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), I specialize in the treatment of anxiety using multiple approaches to recovery.

Over the many years I have been engaging in therapeutic practice, I have noticed that people often come to therapy when they are feeling stuck, alone, or think that they have exhausted their available resources for coping. My role as your therapist is to serve as a tour guide, helping you identify and express your needs and wants, as well as recognize your strengths and abilities to heal and grow. I also often work to understand how your past experiences and current situation may relate to moving forward. We work together to make change and facilitate the life path that feels right for you. I take a warm, compassionate, and collaborative approach to therapy.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, or stuck in repeating patterns that aren’t working, therapy can help you regain clarity and direction. For over 17 years, I’ve worked primarily with individuals facing anxiety, depression, stress, life transitions, and relationship concerns. My approach is practical, supportive, and goal-oriented. Together, we identify what’s keeping you stuck, develop effective strategies, and build skills that create lasting change. I also work with couples who feel disconnected, defensive, or caught in cycles of conflict. In our work, partners learn how to communicate more directly, listen more effectively, and rebuild trust in a structured and productive way. My goal is for therapy to feel focused, collaborative, and results-driven — not just talking, but meaningful progress. I offer a free consultation so we can determine if we’re a good fit.

I am a bilingual and bicultural psychologist, providing therapy in Farsi and English. With close to 20 years of experience, I have found that the power of the therapeutic process itself plays a key role in giving clients the energy and emotional resources they need to deal with the content of their lives. As a clinical psychologist, I specialize in psychodynamic psychotherapy, helping adults navigate depression, anxiety, and complex relationship dynamics. My approach fosters deep self-awareness, individuation, and the ability to set firm, healthy boundaries. I work with young adults to clarify their values, cultivate fulfilling relationships, and develop a strong sense of agency. Rooted in self-psychology and enriched by a broad theoretical foundation, my work is dedicated to facilitating meaningful, lasting transformation. Through this process, we uncover what lies beneath repeated emotional crises and recognize the larger dysfunctional patterns that have shaped their lives.

Welcome! My name is Vanessa Villasenor and am located at a group practice, A Place of Growth that is located in San Diego, and provides therapy to those throughout San Diego and also throughout the State of California via phone and online counseling. We want to provide a safe place for you to grow. Please contact us to begin your path to improving your overall health. Our mental health is important and should be treated just as important as we take care of our physical health. At A Place of Growth, we provide therapy to those with anxiety, depression, trauma, current medical illnesses to all age ranges including young children.

Therapy for Adults of Emotionally Immature Parents: Did you grow up feeling like the adult in your family because your parents were emotionally immature? Maybe you were the peacekeeper, the responsible one, or the person who managed everyone else’s emotions. Maybe you learned early on that expressing your needs led to guilt, criticism, or being ignored. Now, as an adult, you might struggle with people-pleasing, guilt when setting boundaries, or a feeling that your needs are “too much.” You may want healthier relationships, more confidence in yourself, and the freedom to stop carrying emotional responsibilities that were never yours. I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California, and I focus on helping adults who were raised by emotionally immature parents. Together, we explore how early family dynamics shaped your patterns today, and we work toward healthier boundaries, stronger self-trust, and a clearer sense of who you are. My approach is warm, collaborative, and paced to help you feel safe and supported. Growing up with emotionally immature parents can leave deep and confusing wounds, but healing is possible. Therapy can help you release old patterns, reconnect with your needs, and build healthier relationships. You don’t have to sort through this alone. I would be honored to support you. Reach out to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation.

I absolutely love my job as a therapist and truly enjoy being able to help others reach a high level of satisfaction in their careers and in their personal relationships. My approach is mostly collaborative-I believe in tailoring my treatment plan for each individual patient with their input and coordinating care with other health care providers, when appropriate.

People often come to therapy because something feels stuck: a relationship pattern keeps repeating, intimacy has become difficult, anxiety or depression is taking over, grief feels heavy, or life no longer feels as clear or fulfilling as it once did. I work with individuals and couples who want more than short-term symptom relief. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Certified Sex Therapist in San Diego, I help clients explore relationship challenges, sexual concerns, communication problems, desire differences, infidelity, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and major life transitions. My approach is supportive, direct, sex-positive, and non-judgmental. I integrate sex therapy, couples therapy, somatic psychotherapy, existential-humanistic psychotherapy, positive psychology, and practical tools for meaningful change. My goal is to help clients create greater connection, authenticity, intimacy, meaning, and fulfillment in their lives and relationships.

I deeply value peoples' ability to be honest and kind to themselves so they can recognize when change is needed, but also forgive themselves for having struggled... because struggling is human. We all struggle, we all make mistakes, and we all have been in a place where we may not have presented as our best selves. Things in life can be difficult and we may lose sight of our importance and value in this life. I want you to know that I am here to remind you that you matter and that you are so much stronger than you realize or may give yourself credit for. I am here to help you recognize detrimental patterns that were once helpful and no longer serve a purpose, and also find strengths that you can utilize to help you live a fulfilling life that you are proud of. Together we will explore the motivations behind the patterns that currently get in your way, so you can begin your journey to where you deserve to be. I have experience working with all ages of clients that have struggled with ADHD, trauma, grief, communication, relationships, self-esteem, and more. I am incredibly passionate about working with couples and assisting with identifying the deeper roots of their struggles, so each member can get what they need and the couple can rebuild from the ground up.

Looking for a new therapist can be quite daunting and time consuming, can't it? I understand how important and crucial it is to find a suitable match. I pride myself on creating a safe, supportive, and open environment for my patients. I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, a CADC-II (Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor) with over 17 years of professional experience in addiction and recovery, a Certified Specialist in Anger Management, and a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. I work with those struggling with depression, anxiety, addiction, trauma, anger, emotional disturbances, change of life transitions, chronic pain, relationship concerns, work burnout, personality disorders, intrainterpersonal issues, and general stressors. I utilize evidenced-based therapy including an inclusive and integrated humanistic model that tailors therapy specific to your needs. I believe that building a rapport is the most important aspect of the therapeutic connection between therapist and patient. I will meet you where you are at! If you are unsure of therapy, we will explore it together and I will assist you on your therapeutic journey! I use a humanistic and cognitive-behavioral model that puts the patient first and includes CBT, ACT, IPT, relapse prevention, anger management, and motivational interviewing. I am here to help you cope with whatever you are experiencing no matter how big or small! I have worked with an array of patients from adolescents to elderly to those in the foster care system, corrections and justice system, detox, residential and outpatient centers, private practice settings, and in-home care. I provide individual short-term and long-term psychotherapy, diagnosis, and treatment planning. Whether you are new to the therapy process or if you are in search of a new therapist, I am here to help guide you on this path! Providers in my office are allies of Racial-Justiced and LGBTQIA+ and also work with law enforcement, first responders, veterans, and medical professionals.

The best of both worlds: collaborate with a 14-year seasoned therapist and enjoy the flexibility and convenience of virtual services. You don't need to live more years with the same arguments again and again or as "ships passing in the night"; rediscover that "person you feel in love with" and become a better version of yourself along the way-- with Laura Myers, a psychotherapist, life coach, and expert in couples therapy and individual therapy processes

I am a licensed clinical psychologist with over 20 years of experience providing services to children, adolescents, adults, and families. My team of expert clinicians and I provide evidence-based therapies from a range of approaches, state-of-the-art assessments and testing, expressive arts therapy, in-school and in-home services, medical services, and neurofeedback. With integrated, holistic, and interdisciplinary services, I can address concerns for the whole child, the family, and work, college, and home environments. We use modalities including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), behavioral, family systems, psychodynamic, play therapy, parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT), expressive arts therapy, trauma therapy, psychological and psycho-educational assessments, and neurofeedback. As a team, our mission is to help you and your family members be the best you can be. We aim to reduce challenges in depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive (OCD) behaviors, learning, spectrum and social skills, family relations, parenting, disordered eating, attention-deficit hyperactivity (ADHD), grief and loss, and trauma. We work closely with you and your family members, and collaborate with schools, colleges, work, and medical professionals. I completed my Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and my post-doctoral fellowship from the University of Michigan Hospital, Department of Psychiatry.