Depression

Self-esteem and personal growth

Anxiety and Stress related symptoms

Couples counseling and coaching

Family conflict

Grief and Trauma related issues

Co-dependency and adult children of alcoholics (ACA) issues

Dreamwork

Victims of Crime

My favorite websites

Fees & Insurance

Career Opportunities

  About Kris Topaz ...

     A friend once described herself as "as old as dirt" and it stuck in my memory as a humorous way of listing our background references. I don't claim to have wisdom but I do believe that life experience is the best teacher. As I reach out to you who are seeking greater personal stability or growth, I offer you myself and my life experiences. I have gathered and want to give to you. Not that I have answers for you but I will walk strongly with you as you explore your path. I will support you when the path is rocky and I will caringly push you when you feel like stopping. If you feel lost, I will guide you to discovering your own way. Then you will celebrate because you did it! Emotional traumas are not "just in your head". You can't just "get over it" until the issues are mourned, confronted, chewed up and spit out.

     Emotions are powerful and have a life of their own separate from the mind. Emotions release stress hormones which affect the body. I am here to offer you a symbolic shoulder to cry on, intelligent reflection of the issues, and guided processing to assist your mind in getting back in the driver's seat while still respecting the emotional self. We might reframe how you see the situation, do Spiritual connection work, a ceremony as our ancient memories yearn, or just cry and talk, talk, talk it out. I might tell you to "get over it" if you are ruminating and help you to get a Life. Learn about positive thinking, use imagery and visualization, notice patterns and symbolic events and become aware of the various aspects of the Self. We have a nurturing parent inside, a critical parent, a child, an adult, and other aspects to dialogue with. Let's get someone constructive in charge and enjoy life to the fullest!

     As a healer and minister I have treated many health conditions and terminal illnesses with Hands-on-Energy-Balancing Healing. I worked in hospitals, healing centers and presided over many marriages and funerals. I provided CEUs to nurses and taught in two training centers for the Healing Arts. Energy exists; use it well!

     I treat problems with children through you, their adult. It takes two to tango. I will assist you in changing the games the two of you are engaged in. I have been working with children since I was age 12. I have worked in an infant-toddler center, preschools, day cares, and was the director of a parent-participation preschool. I taught 6th grade in gang-infested L.A. and never had behavior problems in my classroom. I served as a substitute teacher for many years in L.A. and Pasadena school systems. As a foster care social worker, I provided trainings to foster parents for many years. As an MFT, I have years of experience providing psychotherapy to families and children. I was approved by L.A. Dept. of Probation and provided therapy to teens on probation. I am a Medi-Cal provider (but not at Soultenders) treating children with medical conditions for California Children's Services.

     I also have years of experience providing psychotherapy for patients treated with medications for the conditions of anxiety disorders, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder and OCD. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with such disorders or if you think that you or a loved one may need help for these or other serious conditions, I will work with your psychiatrist to provide mental health services to compliment the medical services

     I have worked as a foster care social worker since 1993 to the present. As an MFT since 1997 (License Number MFC 34269), I have also provided therapy to children who have been victims of crimes and to adults who have been victimized. I was been deemed an "expert witness" in the Dependency Court of Los Angeles because of my experience treating victims of crime. If you or someone you know are a victim of a crime, the State of California may pay for your therapy. I will offer you gentle but firm help to assist you in healing from the multi-faceted traumas.

     I often work speaking Spanish and offer a therapeutic support group and all other services in Spanish.

     WOMEN'S GROWTH GROUP

     Our group meets weekly to inspire, motivate and support each other as we strive to accept ourselves as we are, while recognizing we want to change. Our lives are influenced more by our subconscious mind than our conscious self. Remember the old picture of the iceberg? Well if you don't, call me and I'll tell you about it. If you feel that you want more but can't get your act together, your self-esteem may need a boost.

     My purpose in life is to enjoy and teach others to enjoy!