Adults often begin therapy when the ways they have managed stress in the past are no longer working. You may be dealing with anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, parenting demands, work stress, ADHD, or a major life transition. Sometimes there is no single crisis. You may simply feel overwhelmed, disconnected, dissatisfied, or unsure about what needs to change.
At Del Mar Psychology, individual therapy helps you understand what is contributing to your difficulties and identify changes so you can improve your emotional well-being, relationships, and daily life.
Reasons Adults Begin Therapy
Adults seek therapy for many different reasons, including:
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Anxiety, excessive worry, or persistent stress
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Depression, low motivation, or loss of interest
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Pregnancy, postpartum concerns, and adjustments to parenthood
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Adult ADHD and executive functioning difficulties
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Marital dissatisfaction or uncertainty about a relationship
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Communication problems, recurring conflict, or emotional disconnection
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Parenting stress and disagreements about parenting
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Separation, divorce, and co-parenting concerns
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Identity, purpose, and self-esteem concerns
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Trauma and painful experiences from the past
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Patterns that continue to interfere with relationships or personal goals
You don’t need to reach a breaking point to start therapy. While some people may have a specific concern they want to address, others come to therapy to better understand recurring patterns in their lives and relationships.
I Can Help With…
Marital and Relationship Concerns
Relationship dynamics deeply shape how we feel every day. They affect our mood, confidence, energy, and connection with loved ones. You might feel unheard, emotionally distant, burnt out, or stuck in repeating arguments that never seem to resolve. It’s completely natural to question if things can get better or wonder how your own habits fit into these familiar patterns.
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In individual therapy, we can gently unpack communication obstacles, help you clarify your needs and healthy boundaries, and guide you in making intentional decisions about your path forward.
Adult ADHD and Executive Functioning
ADHD in adulthood influences far more than problems focusing. It often shows up in daily routines, time management, organization, procrastination, or emotional regulation. These challenges create friction at work, at home, and in personal relationships.
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Therapy offers a supportive environment to identify where things get off track and build practical, personalized strategies that work with your mind, not against it.
Pregnancy and Postpartum Concerns
Pregnancy and the postpartum transition bring profound changes to your body, identity, and life. It’s very common to experience anxiety, sudden mood shifts, overwhelm, or a sense of feeling disconnected from yourself or your partner as you adapt to parenthood.
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We will work together to ease immediate distress while gently addressing relationship dynamics, self-expectations, and the broader shifts in your life.
Divorce, Co-Parenting, and Blended Family Concerns
Navigating separation or divorce brings a unique mix of emotional, financial, and family stress. It’s normal to feel a heavy blend of grief, uncertainty, guilt, and frustration, especially when trying to protect your children’s well-being. When communication feels tense or high-conflict, even routine daily choices can feel exhausting.
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Blended families and stepfamilies may face additional concerns involving household roles, different parenting styles, boundaries with former partners, loyalty conflicts, and expectations for stepparents and children.
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Therapy can help you identify what is within your control, reduce reactive patterns, establish clearer boundaries, communicate more effectively when possible, and make thoughtful decisions during a difficult transition.
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These services do not include custody evaluations, forensic services, or legal recommendations.
My Approach
My approach is warm, relational, and evidence-based. Therapy involves more than discussing the problem. We examine the patterns, experiences, beliefs, and current pressures that may be keeping the problem in place. I will not offer advice, as I believe you may find such information from various sources in your life. Some clients prefer a more intensive, short-term approach to treatment where we address the immediate challenges quickly, while others prefer to take their time uncovering the many layers contributing to their current situation. In either case, we work together at a pace and depth that fit your needs.
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Treatment is individualized and may draw from psychodynamic and depth-oriented interventions, acceptance and commitment therapy, cognitive approaches, and trauma-informed care. The specific approach depends on your concerns, goals, history, and preferences.
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My goal is to help you develop greater clarity, respond differently to difficult situations, and create changes that are meaningful in your everyday life.
Getting Started
The initial consultation provides us with an opportunity to discuss what brings you to therapy, what you have already tried, and what you would like to change. We can then determine whether my approach is a good fit for your needs.
Adult therapy is available in the San Diego area and virtually throughout California.
