Dr. Robert Jaffe, Ph.D, LMFT

818-906-7079

drjaffe1@aol.com

Dr. Mitra Rashidian, Ph.D, LMFT, CST, ABS

818-745-1014

dr.mitra@hearttoheartcounselingla.com

Individual Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is an umbrella term for all types of talk therapy. It can help you eliminate or control your symptoms and improve your ability to function in your everyday life. In addition to helping you cope with mental health conditions, psychotherapy is also useful if you’re going through a life change like a divorce, blending families, or a career change.

Individual Psychotherapy is highly adaptable. For example, many people have specific fears or phobias, such as Claustrophobia (fear of small places), Acrophobia (fear of heights), high level of anxiety or depression, that interfere with their day-to-day functioning. Other reasons include difficulties in work, or intimate relationships, or family life. In addition, many people suffer from various addictions, such as alcoholism, drugs usage, gambling, eating disorders, or sexual compulsivity. A common problem that many people struggle with are current or previous traumas that affect their ability to enjoy life. You might need a few sessions to cope with a specific issue, or you might need to see a therapist for months or even years to explore and resolve longstanding or complex issues.

We offer several types of psychotherapy, including:

  • Gestalt therapy
  • Object relations
  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy
  • Transactional analysis
  • Sex Therapy
  • Neuro-linguistic programming
  • Hypnotherapy 

These different types of therapies are designed to address specific mental and emotional difficulties. Each individual is unique and can usually benefit from a combination of the above therapy methods. Our unique model of Multidimensional Relational Therapy (MDRT), we have found especially helpful in treating many of the above conditions. 

More about Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy (psycho = the mind or soul) (therapy = the process of healing) refers to an examination and healing of a person’s current and previous thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, which are responsible for their current difficulties, in order to transform them, resulting in greater emotional freedom, productivity, and happiness. Competent psychotherapists are trained to understand how a person’s subconscious operates, and to enable them to overcome long standing negative emotions and patterns of behavior that they may have been experiencing for many years. Old maladaptive outlooks on themselves, others, and of life, often caused by past traumas, that have not been sufficiently dealt with, can be addressed, understood, and transformed during the therapy process. Psychotherapy requires a much higher level of education, training, and experience than does counseling. Psychotherapy includes counseling skills, but not vice versa. Competent therapists are comfortable working with strong emotions (rage, anger, sadness, fear, guilt, and shame), and are able to encourage and help their clients to both tolerate, and experience their emotions, without engaging in negative judgment. This needs to be accomplished to gain permanent release, as opposed to temporary relief from emotional difficulties.

Competent therapists are able to empathize (emotionally connect and understand) what their clients are presently experiencing, yet also remain objective, in order to help the client become less attached to their painful experiences. They are able to guide their client to talk about the most productive topics, in order to help them gain the most out of the therapy hour. In addition, competent therapists are trained to ask the right questions at the right moment, to both ensure that the therapy is headed in a positive direction, and to continue to create a trusting and positive therapeutic relationship, which is essential in all successful therapies. Finally, an effective therapist is familiar with their own issues, some of which may still be ongoing, and is able to separate their own “hot buttons” from their client’s, so that the therapy is not contaminated, and remains always focused on helping their client heal.