Associate Therapist

Kate Cody, ACSW

Change can be the most difficult and daunting decision we make. In my practice, I aim to meet you where you’re at and collaborate creatively with you in making conscious life improvements. There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to therapy, and I will work alongside you in formulating a plan to achieve your therapeutic goals that work best for you, as a unique individual, who is the expert of your experiences, and where you’re at in this stage of your life. In therapy we can address a range of obstacles you may be facing, such as problematic behaviors and/or thought processes, relationship issues, and our somatic responses to psychological upsets. A few models I draw from are attachment theory, person-in-environment, psychodynamic theory, solution-focused, cognitive-behavioral, and neuropsychology.

A few populations I have worked with are substance use disorder, depression, anxiety, trauma, and bipolar disorder. I’ve had a wide range of experiences that I believe have shaped who I am as a clinician including participating in research on chemical dependency, case management and individual therapy for adults experiencing homelessness, developing healthy lifestyles with middle school-aged children, being a live-in au pair in Germany, and coordinating activities in an Alzheimer’s residential care facility.

I received my Master’s degree in Social Work with a focus on Adult Mental Health and Wellness. I am a member of the NASW (National Association of Social Work) and am registered with the Board of Behavioral Sciences as an Associate Clinical Social Worker #95953, practicing in the Mayflower Office, supervised under Dr. Jennifer Pruitt, Psy.D License #2009125.

Associate Therapist

Maxine de Luna, MA, AMFT

Hi there! First off, I want to commend you for being here today. Life can be challenging, leaving us feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Defeated and depressed. Scared and even angry.

As an emotion-focused therapist, I hope to collaborate with each of my clients to experience lasting healing extending beyond therapy. I hope to provide a safe space to explore and experience the deep pain and hurt that can often feel unheard and be swept under the rug. It takes vulnerability and courage to allow yourself to seek support during this difficult time. I hope to sit with you and create a safe space to sit with and explore the different parts of yourself, healing past traumas and resolving unfinished business causing you pain and suffering in your daily life and relationships. Together we can move closer toward a path of relief and a life with new meaning and fulfillment, without carrying the current heaviness of life each step of the way. I hope to help you live life the ways you truly want for yourself. It would be with great honor.

(Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #118660; Supervised by Claudia Reyes Guatemala, LMFT#84394)

Associate Therapist

Cari Lu, AMFT

Hey you, yes you! You are truly remarkable and the steps you have taken to get this far to seek help and to advocate for yourself deserves an applause. Finding your own personal fit in therapy is important because you need to feel comfortable working closely with someone as you grow to tackle on life and its many obstacles. I would be honored to be apart of your journey, to hear you out and to create a safe space for you to feel at ease while you work on nourishing your mental wellbeing.

I believe therapy is a collaborative process and building strong relationships and rapport in the beginning stages of treatment will allow you to feel comfortable and will truly allow the therapeutic relationship to be the foundation for when challenges arise. The flexibility of incorporating a multitude of interventions and theories provides the most beneficial experience and as your therapist, I will empower you to make positive changes in your life. I understand that making any changes in your life may be difficult, but I am ready to support you along the way with an approach that is direct, non-judgmental and compassionate.

Mayflower Office, under the supervision of Maureen Leigh-Magee, LMFT (LMFT 38671)

Associate Therapist

Knar Meloyan, MS, AMFT

The foundation of my therapeutic approach draws upon the strength and resilience within each of us. I work with my clients to create a collaborative relationship to explore the struggles they face, honor the attempts they have made to overcome their struggles, and identify the steps they can take to meet their personal goals. We explore the behavioral steps that can be taken, as well as address the thinking patterns and underlying emotions that may be constraining them.

Within my practice, I work with individuals, couples and families struggling with a range of issue, including depression, anxiety, trauma, intimacy concerns, body image, grief, identity issues, life functioning, and transitions. I have experience working with kids, teens, and adults with diverse backgrounds and identities. As a systemic therapist, I believe in the value of understanding the cultural, social, and spiritual contexts within which clients exist, and how those identities inform their unique set of strengths and challenges.

I earned my graduate degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the Family Institute at Northwestern University, and my undergraduate degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara. I am a member of CAMFT (California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists). I am registered with the Board of Behavioral Sciences as an Associate of Marriage and Family Therapist, AMFT # 116121, practicing in the Mayflower office, supervised under Irma Lopez, LMFT #49432.

Associate Therapist

Lyzette Perez-Munoz, AMFT

I would like to first commend you for taking the opportunity to put yourself first as I understand that this may seem like a difficult decision. I believe we all walk many paths on this earth; however, I think one path we should all walk down is having the opportunity to receive therapy services. I aim to mold, plan, and specialize your treatment to your specific goals that you would like to accomplish during this time with me. Some models that I draw from include Cognitive-Behavioral, Solution-Focused, Psychodynamic Theory, Feedback Informed treatment, Mindfulness, Narrative, and Interpersonal.

My experience includes working with young adults all the way to the geriatric population. I have experience working in outpatient settings and have worked with individuals that experience depression, anxiety, trauma, substance use disorders, dual diagnosis, and life transitions. While my work includes a wide range of individuals, I am passionate about working with adolescents transitioning to young adulthood and adults that struggle with suicidality. This area is special to me as I have seen the difficulty and heart break that it can bring to one’s life. Through individual counseling I hope to be able to help those overcome those difficult hurdles during that time. This is not just a career for myself, but a passion and part of my life that I find it immensely important to advocate for the availability of mental health services that include suicide prevention within our communities.

Bio
I received my Bachelors from University of California, Riverside in Sociology where I then completed my Masters from USC at the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. My focus for my MSW included Adult Mental Health and Wellness. I am registered with the Board of Behavioral Sciences as an Associate Clinical Social Work #98094, and I am supervised by Claudia Reyes Guatemala, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #84394.

Associate Therapist

Douglas Tu, ACSW

I have worked with a diverse array of populations such as domestic violence-survivors, undocumented immigrants, individuals struggling with major depression and anxiety, the elderly, teenagers, and transitional-age youth. I practice a wide-variety of different modalities such as EMDR Therapy, Play Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Gottman-Method Couples Therapy, and grief counseling. I have a particular interest addressing PTSD and PTSD-related symptoms with clients due to my background in trauma and consider it my niche in the field.

I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from UC Santa Barbara, where I also minored in Applied Psychology. I studied how intersections of gender, race and class influence individuals in a variety of different ways. Particularly, I studied how cultural norms affected mental health services available to the Asian American community. I then received my Masters in Social Work from CSU Los Angeles where I studied how socioeconomic factors influence father involvement. I am registered with the Board of Behavioral Sciences as an Associate Clinical Social Worker (#83802), and I am supervised by Kristine Adamian, LCSW #64864.

Therapy may be a journey towards healing, but it is not always easy, especially when one is implored to dig deep into what has made them the person they are today. As a therapist who enjoys taking a strengths-based approach with clients, I will offer nothing less than my unconditional positive regard. However, I am not afraid to challenge clients to become the great people they are always meant to be. With enough hard work and dedication, I believe all human beings have the capacity to perform great feats.

“A future is not given to you. It is something you must take for yourself.” -Unknown