About Me

Creating a Lifetime of Connection, Commitment, and Intimacy!

sanaz-motamedi

Education and Experience

Licensed Psychotherapist

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and have been blessed to be conducting therapy for over 15 years. I have a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology along with a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and additional training in Marriage and Family Therapy. Throughout my training I have received training in a vast array of areas within psychology. Specifically, I have been trained in addiction, couples therapy, anger management and mindfulness. I continue to be an eager learner in the fields of both psychology and healing by reading, participating in workshops, seminars and attending different conferences.

I have worked at drug rehabilitation centers for 5 years and worked at a mental hospital for 12 years where I treated patients who have numerous serious mental disorders. I have been fortunate and blessed to see many incredible transformations in my clients throughout all these years which has moved me profoundly. Therefore, I am very passionate about helping people to heal their wounds and problems in order for them to reach their full potential.

Background

I am originally from Iran and moved to the United States by myself 18 years ago. I went through many difficult times and I have always been eager to seek answers and solutions for my healing. Thus, I strongly believe being a therapist for me is a calling. Since I started to understand myself from my early childhood through reflection and studying many books in psychology and spirituality, I have been able to recognize and appreciate my uniqueness. Hence, I have the sense to compassionately guide you through your problems.

Approaches

I believe in the uniqueness of all human beings. I believe we all have been wounded to some extent as result of our unique circumstances. Therefore, I choose very specific and unique approaches with each of my clients. My theoretical orientation varies from Depth Psychology to Solution Focused Therapy and Cognitive Behavior Therapy.
I specifically like to incorporate these techniques for my clients depending upon whether it is suitable to their unique qualities and characteristics. Some of these associated techniques include (but are not limited to) Trauma Therapy (SE) , Inner Child work, Dream work, DBT, Meditation and Mindfulness, Gottman Couples Therapy, Imago Relationship Therapy and Communication Skill Training.

I believe life is a journey that has many challenges and having a trustworthy person who has also been working through these challenges for a prolonged period of time is essential for growing and going through this path. I am very confident that I have a gift for helping you to transform yourself and your life to become a better you!

It would be my honor to partake in this incredible journey of transformation with you.

Please contact me and let me know how I can help you

(949) 413-7140

Let me help you

You are a truly unique person and you deserve to be treated in a unique way. Most of my patients rapidly observe the positive changes in their life. Not only will you find resolutions to current challenges in your life, but you can also become the best version of yourself and lead a more purposeful, meaningful life aligned with your highest values!

Crisis Intervention
Trauma
Depression
Anxiety
Stress Management
Anger Management
Relationship Issues

Grief & Loss
Victims of Crime
Individuals
Families
Couples
Children & Adolescents
Cross-cultural counseling

What is Marriage and Family Therapy?

A family’s patterns of behavior influences the individual and therefore may need to be a part of the treatment plan. In marriage and family therapy, the unit of treatment isn’t just the person even if only a single person is interviewed it is the set of relationships in which the person is imbedded.

What are the benefits of psychotherapy?

The first and most important benefit of psychotherapy is to be able to express yourself in a safe, confidential space with a natural expert.
Coming to therapy is much better that talking to a friend or family member because the therapist provides a non-judgmental space that allows you to feel comfortable and open.
Since therapy is a one-way relationship, in other words, it is completely focused on your life, you receive the full attention, focus and care without expectations.

What are your fees and payment methods?

My fees are $120 for 50 minutes and $170 for couples counseling. I charge $100 for 50 minutes of phone or video / webcam counseling. I accept cash, check and major credit cards.

Do you accept insurance?

If you have a PPO insurance, you may be able to obtain reimbursement from your insurance company for out of network providers. At the end of each session or at a frequency that you prefer, I can provide you with a superbill for you to submit to your insurance company. You would be responsible for billing the insurance company yourself. The payment for my services is due at the time of each session. Please ask your insurance company to find out more about your coverage. Good questions to ask include the following: -Are there benefits in using insurance for mental health? Using insurance may have some risk for you since they require clinical diagnoses from therapists. I do not always feel it is necessary to clinically diagnose my clients. Another potential risk for you is that any mental diagnosis goes into your medical record and it may create issues for you when attempting to obtain new insurance or in the scenario where you would want to apply for a job and you are asked "Have you been diagnosed with any mental disorders?”

How long is the therapy and can I stay longer in the sessions?

This depends on your goals for therapy. If you come for a short-term goal, it could last around 8-12 sessions. However, if you want to work on long term goals such as self-discovery, changing old, longstanding patterns of behavior or more serious issues, it may take longer. Generally, sessions are 50 minutes long. I also provide intense and longer sessions for crisis management, anger management and some other treatment modalities. For example, such sessions can be 100 minute (1 hr. 40 min) sessions twice a week.

How can I get the most out of our sessions?

You will get more results if you actively engage in the therapy sessions. I usually suggest my clients to take notes of any concerns, questions and emotional issues between our sessions so they can be prepared to bring those to the table for our subsequent session. Because I believe therapy is a healing journey, your openness and vulnerability can help with this process. My hope for you is to bring what you learned about yourself and your life from our therapy sessions into your daily life. Thus it is very important to reflect after therapy and practice what you have learned. I may suggest you to read specific journals or read a specific book(s) as appropriate.

How can I get an appointment?

The best way to get appointment with me is to call me and leave me a message. I generally respond back to you within a few hours. You can also email me.

What should I expect in my first sessions?

In the beginning, I need to take some time to know you and obtain your history. If you want to accelerate the process, you can fill out the form online which will save us time.

Skills

You are important to me and I view our time together as sacred. More than a scheduled meeting time, ours is an ongoing relationship.

Coaching

Couples

Families

Younger Children