Nicole Bermensolo, M.A., Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT
Santa Monica, California
VerifiedTelehealth Available
Professions: Marriage & Family Therapist, Licensed Professional Counselor, Mental Health Counselor
Languages: English, Japanese
Telephone: 323-784-1311
My Approach to Therapy
The therapeutic process has the ability to transform. I am living proof of this. At my lowest point, I was anxious, depressed, suicidal, and trapped in addictions. With the help of a skilled therapist, I was able to come out of this darkness - inspiring me to leave the business world in order to help others who are suffering. I believe that everyone deserves a fighting chance to overcome trauma and abuse and live a rich, full, and satisfying life. I believe that we can change and grow at any time in our lives. I believe in the beauty, resiliency, and strength of the human spirit. I believe that we are all worthy and capable of love.
I see children and adults who are experiencing anxiety, depression, stress, strains in romantic and family relationships, low self-esteem and body image, unhealthy coping habits, and grief and loss. I specialize in helping clients navigate through different life transitions, including birth, divorce, parenting, job and profession changes, and sobriety.
My particular areas of focus include: attachment therapy, helping children and their parents deal with co-parenting, divorce and blended families; healing from narcissistic abuse in parental and romantic relationships; stabilizing in recovery from alcohol and other substances. I also have extensive experience in dealing with domestic abuse in its many forms.
My Practice & Services
My primary aim in my work is to meet my clients "where they are" by tuning in to their unique concerns and creating an atmosphere where they feel acknowledged and at ease. Working together, with awareness of your unique family dynamics and the cultural, political, and other contextual factors at play, we aim to alleviate your unnecessary suffering, improve your capacity for love, work, and pleasure, and empower you to provide the best care for yourself and your loved ones. My particular areas of focus include: helping children and their parents deal with acrimonious divorce and blended families; healing from narcissistic abuse in parental and romantic relationships; stabilizing in recovery from alcohol and other substances. I also have extensive experience in dealing with domestic abuse and violence in its many forms. I also have a deep appreciation that we all have inner strengths, even if unknown or untapped at the moment.
Specific Issue(s) I'm Skilled at Helping With
Emotional and Physical Abuse
Whether it was at the hands of a narcissistic parent or abusive partner, I specialize in helping clients overcome trauma resulting from interpersonal relationships. Using a combination of EMDR and talk therapy, we work together to calm that ever-present sense of uneasiness, regain a feeling of safety, and learn to trust in your own judgement. I am living proof that you can overcome abuse and trauma to live a rich and fulfilling life on your own terms.
Sobriety and Recovery
As an individual in long-term recovery, I intimately understand the challenges of getting and staying sober from alcohol and other substances. Loss of friends and your social circle, persistent feelings of isolation, and finding new means of coping with difficult situations, emotions, and stress are just a few of the issues I tackle with clients in recovery. I am uniquely equipped to help both newly sober individuals as well as those in long-term recovery.
Children and Families
If being a parent in today's world is difficult, being a kid is near impossible. I am passionate about working with children and adolescents in close collaboration with parents and care-givers to assist in a myriad of issues, including anxiety, depression, school avoidance, bullying, self-esteem, divorce, co-parenting, and trauma. I utilize a unique combination of interactive play therapy, relational therapy, and EMDR (if appropriate) in order to give your child the most effective therapy experience.
Expertise & Specialties
Age Groups I Work With
ChildrenTeensAdultsElders
Groups I Work With
I have had the privilege of working with children, adults, couples, and families of diverse cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations, religions, and gender spectrums. I love the work I do and find it fulfilling, meaningful and beautiful. I feel grateful for the people that trust in me and allow me into their lives. I seek to establish a trusting, accepting, and collaborative relationship with my clients to support them in navigating life's many challenges. I approach my life and my work through a feminist, anti-oppression, anti-racist, and body-positive perspective. My job as your therapist is to help you find the right resources, both in your community and within yourself, to help you experience the challenges of life in a way that ultimately empowers you and builds your innate resilience.
Therapy Services & Specialties
Chemical Dependency EvaluationFamily TherapyIndividual Therapy & CounselingInterventionMarriage, Couples, or Relationship CounselingPremarital CounselingPsychiatric ConsultationTelehealth
Concerns & Challenges Addressed
AbandonmentAbuse / Abuse Survivor IssuesAcademic ConcernsAddictions and CompulsionsAdjusting to Change / Life TransitionsAnxietyAttachment IssuesBlended Family Issues
Therapeutic Approaches & Evidence-Based Methods
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)Attachment-Based Family Therapy (ABFT)Collaborative TherapyEmotion Focused Couples TherapyEmotionally Focused TherapyExistential PsychotherapyEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)Family Systems Therapy
Industries & Communities
Entertainment IndustryFirst Responder/Medical ProfessionalsMilitary/Law EnforcementEducationSelf-Employed and Freelance ProfessionalsProfessional SportsLGBTQ+BIPOC