About Larissa

Clinical Licenses

  • California LCSW #66309

  • Florida TPSW433

Education

  • Master of Social Work, Sacramento State University

  • Bachelor of Social Work, La Sierra University

Training

  • CBT Training through the Department of Veterans Affairs

  • EMDR Certified Therapist through EMDRIA

  • Gottman Level 1 for Couples Therapy

Since we’ll be on this journey together, here’s a little bit more so you can get to know me.

I honor you.

I’m passionate about helping my clients feel strong and truly recognize just how strong they really are. I think that we often don’t give ourselves credit for the strength it takes to realize that we want something better for our lives, let alone to activate and take even the smallest step in towards that improvement, and the fact that you’re here, reading this today, shows that there’s strength inside of you.

I operate from the perspective that we, as humans, are not as flawed as we think we are, even when things aren’t going the way we’d like them to. That perspective allows us to create a bit of distance between us and our problems and start to address them, and ourselves, in a more compassionate way. I’ve experienced how the negative things we tell ourselves about ourselves make difficult situations even more painful, and I’m passionate about helping you create a perspective that is honest, compassionate, and gives you the courage to face, and even improve, your situation.

I partner with you in your healing.

My therapy style is collaborative, and I honor you and your unique journey. I bring my training, commitment, and optimism that things will get better to our work together each week. The therapy plan I create for you is tailored specifically to you, and I use evidence-based techniques that have been proven by research to help you make the lasting changes you want to see in your life.

I’ll help you build healthy relationships.

In addition to working with individual adults, I specialize in helping couples achieve the relationship that they want. There are so many things competing for our energy that can get in the way of healthy interactions in our partnership. By using Gottman Method tools and behavioral tools to help couples who experience conflict, I help couples communicate with clarity and compassion and cultivate joy in their interactions.

I’m committed to providing excellent therapy.

I’ve been working in mental health for over 14 years, helping couples and adults release the things that are getting in the way of them experiencing life how they would like to experience life. I hold space for my clients to heal and to feel well. I hold a CBT Certification from the Department of Veterans Affairs, am an EMDRIA trained EMDR psychotherapist, and I participate in ongoing Gottman Method training for couples.

I’m multicultural and commit to being anti-racist.

I’m the first person on both sides of my family to be born in the United States - my mom is Filipina, and my dad is Korean, Japanese, and Black - and I think that’s played a big role in helping me learn how to connect with people from diverse backgrounds and thrive in different environments. I experience and view culture, integration, and identity from a place of honesty, anti-racism, and social justice. I honor the intersection of things that society sometimes views as dichotomous, whether that be with culture, spirituality, values, or interests, and I hold an affirming space to grow. I welcome your spirituality, culture, identity and the strengths that you bring.

I’m here for you.

My favorite part of my job is meeting amazing people, helping them realize how amazing they are, and witnessing them grow in ways they thought were previously out of reach. It is truly an honor to be on this journey with you.