She/Her
Background and Approach
CA Registered Associate #147467
I am an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist with experience providing mental health services across residential treatment, school-based settings, mental health urgent care, and community mental health. Working in these diverse environments has allowed me to support children, adolescents, transition-age youth, adults, and families navigating a wide range of emotional, behavioral, and life challenges.
My clinical journey has been shaped by helping individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and loss, emotional and behavioral concerns, identity development, family conflict, and significant life transitions. These experiences have strengthened my commitment to creating a therapeutic environment where clients feel safe, heard, and empowered to move toward meaningful change.
My approach is client-centered, trauma-informed, and strengths-based. I believe each person brings unique experiences, resilience, and goals into therapy, and I strive to meet clients where they are while supporting them in developing the skills, insight, and confidence needed to move forward. I value building a strong therapeutic relationship rooted in authenticity, compassion, cultural humility, and collaboration.
I integrate evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Motivational Interviewing, and trauma-informed care. I am also continuing my professional training in Internal Family Systems (IFS), expanding my ability to help clients understand and compassionately work with the different parts of themselves that emerge through stress, trauma, and life experiences.
Whether I am working with a young child, an adolescent, a parent, or an adult, my goal is to provide a supportive space where clients can better understand themselves, strengthen relationships, develop healthy coping skills, and build lasting resilience.
My work centers on children, adolescents, transition-age youth, adults, and families navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, emotional regulation, behavioral concerns, and life transitions. I also support individuals experiencing self-esteem challenges, peer and relationship difficulties, school-related concerns, caregiver stress, identity development, and the lasting effects of childhood trauma.
I have experience working with individuals impacted by PTSD, sexual abuse, suicidal ideation, self-harm, substance use concerns, emotional disturbance, anger management, and complex family dynamics. I also provide mental health assessments and support families navigating parenting concerns and developmental challenges.
My clinical approach integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Motivational Interviewing, trauma-informed care, and client-centered interventions. As I continue my training in Internal Family Systems (IFS), I incorporate a growing understanding of attachment, self-compassion, and internal emotional processes into my work.
I am committed to providing culturally responsive and affirming care for diverse populations, including LGBTQIA2+ clients, children and adolescents, transition-age youth, college students, early career adults, parents and caregivers, survivors of sexual assault and trafficking, individuals with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and those experiencing grief and significant life transitions.
Focus Areas
and Expertise
Children and Adolescents
Trauma & PTSD
Anger Management & Emotional Regulation
Behavioral Issues/Support
Stress & Life Transitions
Support for Caregivers
School Issues
Depression & Grief
Relationship Issues/Peer Relationships
Diagnostic Mental Health Assessments
Anxiety & Coping Skills
Gender Affirming Care Letter Writing
Credentials
I am an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist with clinical experience spanning residential treatment, school-based mental health, mental health urgent care, and community behavioral health. These settings have provided me with experience supporting clients across the lifespan with a wide range of mental health concerns and levels of care.
My clinical training includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Motivational Interviewing, trauma-informed care, and client-centered, strengths-based interventions. I am currently continuing advanced training in Internal Family Systems (IFS) to further support clients navigating trauma, attachment wounds, emotional regulation, and identity development.
My work is grounded in ethical practice, cultural humility, trauma-informed care, and a commitment to helping clients build resilience while honoring their unique experiences and strengths.
California Associate #147467
Associate Marriage & Family Therapist
Education:
MA Marriage and Family Therapy
University of San Francisco
BA
University of San Francisco
Trained in DBT
Trained in PCIT
Trained in CBT
Training in IFS (current)
My Philosophy
I believe healing begins when people feel genuinely safe, supported, and accepted for who they are. Therapy should be a place where you do not have to carry life's challenges alone, but instead have the opportunity to explore your experiences with curiosity, compassion, and hope.
Every person has strengths, even during seasons when those strengths feel difficult to recognize. My role is not to tell clients who they should become, but to help them better understand themselves, recognize their resilience, and build the tools needed to navigate life's challenges with greater confidence.
I approach therapy through a trauma-informed and client-centered lens, recognizing that our experiences, relationships, and environments all influence how we think, feel, and respond to the world around us. Together, we work to strengthen emotional regulation, develop healthier coping strategies, improve relationships, and create meaningful progress toward the goals that matter most to you.
Whether I am working with a young child learning emotional regulation, a teenager navigating identity and relationships, or an adult processing trauma or life transitions, I strive to create a space built on authenticity, compassion, empowerment, and connection. My hope is that clients leave therapy not only with new skills, but with a deeper sense of confidence, resilience, and belief in their ability to move forward.
—Tori Lopez, AMFT