Find a Therapist in Playa Del Rey, CA

I am passionate about supporting clients to live a life of healthy self-directed inspiration. Life can bring unexpected traumatic events like cancer diagnosis that can leave a person stuck and unable to navigate their way out. Healing and recovery is imperative in order to live a life that is strengthened and recreated with greater meaning. I provide support and collaboration while working through presenting issues. My clients live positively transformed lives with deeper awareness, person integrity and respect.

I'm dedicated to helping you overcome the depression, anxiety, and other emotional difficulties that are holding you back from your success and peace of mind. I want to see you truly thrive. Working together, we can help you gain the clarity and confidence for going forward in your life. My approach to therapy is compassionate, interactive, solution-focused, core-level work, and focused on gaining new perspectives and new skills. You can feel better, stronger, clearer and more confident, as an individual and in your relationship. My aim is to strike the right balance between careful listening and providing helpful information and feedback to you. Sometimes you'll just need to get things off your chest, other times you'll need real answers about important questions. We'll start where you are, and we'll go forward together from there. It's really an honor as a therapist to walk alongside you on your journey from depression, anxiety, or relationship problems toward strength, clarity, and peace of mind. In our work together, I'll be dedicated to helping you understand what's gone wrong, both emotionally as well as practically, and then finding ways to work through and overcome those difficulties. I want you to have hope that you *can* feel much better. Please contact me with any questions you might have, or for a free 30-minute phone consultation.

My 35 years' experience as a licensed professional and my doctoral education combine to result in top-drawer services and positive results. I offer compassionate and focused therapy services for individuals, couples, families, tweens and teens. I am a results-oriented therapist who has worked with clients from all walks of life. I have specialized skills in treating disorders of childhood and adolescence as well as mood disorders. I get very good and generally rapid results using imagery and biofeedback in the treatment of anxiety. I am highly experienced and skilled in family and marital therapy. My toolkit includes memorable and easy to use communication tweaks which usually result in rapid control of communication problems which seem to underly so many interpersonal problems. I am very effective with behavioral techniques with children and adults. I have a long history of tight collaboration with psychiatrists and physicians in service of providing a more comprehensive form of treatment for those who take medications and or have medical disorders.

We all enter the world through the same biological process. But that's where the similarity ends. Through our own family dysfunction, we become emotionally scarred and begin to believe things about ourselves that are not true. Things like: no one loves me and no one ever will, I will never achieve my goals, I am a mistake, I am alone and always will be, I will never find happiness, etc. Then we live our lives in the dark shadow of those deep-seated beliefs. Through therapy, you will learn to recognize those ugly lies that you've been told and taught. You will learn to challenge and dismiss them. Then you will begin to believe the truth, that you are no better or worse than others. That who you become and what you achieve is truly a matter of choice. Then you will learn and practice how to make healthy choices based on your new healthy beliefs that you are capable, lovable, and will begin achieving happiness today. Emotional growth is a life-long journey. My passion is helping hurting people begin the road-trip toward their highest possible level of emotional health. I lived with emotional pain many years before seeking therapy and was certain I was alone, that no one understood my personal struggle, and no one cared. That was my emotional state when I entered therapy as a last cry for help. Through my own therapy, I began the healing process and soon found hope. The world became a brighter place, my family began to heal, my personal and professional goals seemed to take on a life of their own and positive things began to be the norm, not the exception for me. I became a therapist so I could teach others to experience the wonderful world that is waiting just beyond the dark horizon of hopelessness, sadness, and gloom. Join me on the road to emotional health and happiness. I will initially hold your hand and guide you. But you will be taught and encouraged to let go of my hand and run free, run ahead of me, and never again allow others to negatively influence your destiny.

Hi there, I’m Dr. Alyssa. I’m a licensed clinical psychologist and the founder of Thrive Health, where compassionate, personalized care helps adolescents, young adults, and their families navigate eating disorders, anxiety, ADHD, and trauma on the path to a more fulfilling life. I specialize in evidence-based treatments—Family-Based Treatment (FBT), Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT-E), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT), and Parent Management Training (PMT)—and tailor each approach to meet you or your loved one exactly where you are. My goal is not only to ease symptoms but to guide you toward thriving—living with purpose, connection, and a deep sense of alignment. At Thrive Health, you’ll find a concierge-style practice grounded in both research and genuine care. I blend structured psychological approaches with holistic mind–body support, weaving in mindfulness, nervous system regulation, and yoga-informed practices for those seeking integrative approaches. I believe lasting change takes root when you feel truly seen, supported, and empowered. It would be my privilege to walk alongside you or your loved one as you move from surviving to Thriving—building a whole, meaningful life that feels authentically yours.

I have helped clients process complex sexual trauma and emotional abuse, neglect and abandonment. I also work with depression, anxiety, loss and attachment issues, as well as Chronic and Terminal illnesses such as Epilepsy, Breast cancer.

Our team of licensed therapists brings decades of combined experience working with individuals, couples, adolescents, and families across diverse populations and life experiences. We believe healing begins through connection, understanding, and trust, and we’re dedicated to helping clients navigate life’s challenges with confidence and resilience. We create a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental environment where clients feel heard, valued, and empowered to grow. Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, relationship difficulties, life transitions, or emotional overwhelm or you’re seeking personal growth, our team meets you where you are and works collaboratively with you to create meaningful change.

You don't have to be in crisis to deserve support. Many of my clients are highly functioning, deeply capable people who are quietly struggling — with anxiety, burnout, relationship challenges, family conflict or a life that no longer feels like their own. If you've been telling yourself you should be able to handle this alone, I want you to know that reaching out is not weakness. It is one of the most courageous and strategic decisions you can make. I am Dr. Lyndsay Elliott, a licensed clinical psychologist with a PsyD and postdoctoral fellowship from UCLA. For over 20 years I have helped adults and couples navigate anxiety, depression, burnout, chronic stress, relationship conflict, narcissistic abuse recovery, and major life transitions. If you are ready for real change — not just someone to listen, but a psychologist who will help you understand what is happening, why it is happening, and exactly what to do about it — you are in the right place. My integrative approach combines cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychodynamic insight, and trauma-informed care into a personalized treatment plan designed around your specific goals. Sessions are collaborative, honest, and built for real results — not just symptom management. Every treatment plan is evidence-based, tailored to your unique needs, and focused on meaningful, measurable growth.

I specialize in taking couples from conflict to connection, tailored to the needs of the individual couple. My patients tell me that I come across as a warm, rather humorous individual who uses a practical approach in therapy. I believe in first helping couples decide if they want to work on the relationship or not. (Called discernment). If so, I devote all my energy to helping couples move forward by learning new skills to communicate and feel connected. I also teach couples conflict resolution skills so you can disagree without being disagreeable- that is, communicate with respect and empathy. I strongly encourage "homework" between sessions designed to strengthen skills, develop common interests (if needed), and to learn to enjoy each other again.

I believe therapy should feel both grounding and transformative. At Hyland & Associates Counseling Services, our work is rooted in creating a space where clients feel genuinely seen, understood, and supported without judgment. When people feel emotionally safe, meaningful change becomes possible. Our team works with individuals, couples, and families navigating anxiety, depression, disconnection, life transitions, and relationship distress. Many of our clients are high-functioning and capable on the outside, yet internally feel overwhelmed, stuck, or alone. Therapy offers a place to slow down, gain insight, and move forward with clarity and intention. Our approach is grounded in evidence-based modalities, including Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), which helps uncover the patterns that keep people feeling disconnected from themselves and each other. Together, we identify these cycles, understand the underlying emotions driving them, and create new ways of relating that foster trust, connection, and resilience. While each therapist on our team brings a unique style and area of expertise, we share a common philosophy: to provide thoughtful, attuned, and results-oriented care. We are compassionate and direct, offering both support and gentle challenge to help clients move out of old patterns and into more fulfilling ways of living and relating. Whether you are seeking individual growth, stronger relationships, or support through a difficult season, you do not have to navigate it alone.

One of the greatest gifts we have to offer is calm in the midst of chaos. If you are looking for a therapist for you or someone you care about then somewhere there is turmoil. Rarely do we seek help when things are good in our lives. My job is to be the sounding board so that you can process in a safe non threatening environment what is going on in your life that is causing distress. Sometimes the process is to get you unstuck and help you push through a decision that needs to be made. Or, it is to slow you down from being in a reactive phase and then move toward a proactive state. Learning how to pause and recognize the things in which we have control over is a gift because then you can move towards decreasing frustration and anxiety. Learning to focus on your strengths and the strengths of others allows us to experience our world in a more positive manner. It is often difficult to experience what is good in our life when we focus on the bad. And when we know what is good, right, or happy we can do more of it! Leaning mindful techniques will help increase internal and external awareness. Increasing communication skills will help us to connect our reality to others. Please join me in the process...

We’re here with same-day appointments, with in-office and online options in California. Our Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs) support people of all ages, with a wide range of concerns, and from all backgrounds. We offer compassionate, ethical care for individual adults, teens, and children, as well as couples and families. We can support you on your healing journey today. Some of the areas we help with include anxiety, depression, grief and loss, parenting, behavior changes, past or current trauma, relationship issues, and more.