I am a UK trained and licensed adolescent and adult psychotherapist and a US trained and certified coach. I currently reside in Los Angeles, CA with my husband and four children, having previously spent 20-years in London, England. My practice offers a comprehensive range of services that support and enhance the mental and emotional well-being of my global clients - teens, parents and adults - in a safe, supportive and confidential environment.
A critical aspect of my work is providing a space for clients so that we may develop, nurture, and maintain a trusting and productive working relationship. It is fundamental that my clients feel seen, understood, and validated.
Testimonials:
“I have had the privilege of working with Missy for the past two and a half years. She’s an incredible therapist who has helped transform and improve my life. From our very first session, I felt heard, understood, and supported. Missy’s empathetic approach, deep knowledge, and unwavering commitment to my well-being have been nothing short of extraordinary. The tools that Missy has provided to deal with anxiety, depression, chronic illness and pain have dramatically improved my quality of life.”
"I am so grateful that Missy is there for me, whether in a therapeutic or life coaching capacity. I have navigated the hard work with Missy's support -- her professionalism, confidentiality, good humour and tough love. I have achieved more in every aspect of my life in the past 2.5 years than I have in a long time.I couldn't have done it without her."
"We can’t thank Missy enough for what she has done for our teen daughter who suffers from OCD and anxieties and has been going through an emotionally challenging time recently. Missy, who is incredibly caring, approachable and professional, helped our daughter to understand her challenges and taught her strategies to manage her worries. We are truly blessed to have found Missy and to have her working with our daughter, who blossomed since starting therapy. A real life saver to our whole family!”
Qualifications
Member of the British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy (MBACP)
Certified Life Coach, Martha Beck Institute
Post Graduate Diploma in Integrative Adult Counseling and Psychotherapy (Roehampton University, London UK)
Diploma in Adolescent Counseling (Institute for the Arts in Therapy and Education, London UK)
Master of Public Policy (MPP), Georgetown University (Washington, DC)
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Government, with a Concentration in The Hesburgh Program in Public Service, University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame, IN)
Experience
Prior to launching my private practice, I worked in England's National Health Service (NHS) and for London-based mental health specialist TeenMatters, providing a comprehensive range of support services to both adults and young people.
I also worked as a certified life coach, offering a range of services designed to help individuals overcome obstacles, harness strengths, and develop effective strategies to create meaningful change. My client base primarily focused on supporting both women and parents of children with special needs.
I have benefitted throughout many stages of my life from individual and family therapy experiences, and I continue to grow through professional and educational and training.
My Clients
Adults
What society may deem a mental health issue is often a normal human response to a difficult life experience. By exploring these challenges with curiosity, compassion, and patience, we can uncover negative patterns and begin to develop tools and coping strategies that allow for greater self-awareness, resilience, and emotional wellness. I have a deep interest in relational dynamics – the patterns of interaction between individuals in relationship – and how these behaviours, communication styles and emotional exchanges relate to and affect each other. In addition, a better understanding of our relationship to ourselves is paramount for recognizing both healthy and unhealthy patterns, for improving communication, and for fostering stronger, more fulfilling connections.
Teens
Being a teen today, with heightened academic, extracurricular, and social pressures, is intense. As if these pressures aren’t challenging enough, neuroscience tells us that the complex changes going on in the adolescent brain (which continue through the age of 25) make managing these stressors even more difficult. The fact adolescents must weather all of this in the context of the relentless pace and scrutiny of social media, make this perhaps the most difficult time in history to be an adolescent. I provide a safe and accepting space for teens to explore and understand their thoughts, emotions, and current circumstances. I work to validate their lived experience and to show them that much of what goes on in their internal world is often a very normal response to external situations. We work together on identifying, understanding, and regulating emotions, and explore methods and tools that they can utilize to feel more confident, empowered and supported, and in doing so shift some of the ways in which they behave, relate, and connect.
Common issues faced by today’s adolescents include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- OCD & Phobias
- Self-Confidence
- School Pressures
- Relationships
- Self-Harming
- Trauma
- Loss
- Emotional Disregulation
- Body Image
- Disordered Eating
- Identity Struggles
- Divorce
- Education & Career Choices
Parents
Being a parent might be the most important responsibility we will ever undertake, and yet it is one where we get the least training. Given the pervasiveness and influence of mobile devices and social media, the challenges of both being a teen and parenting a teen are greater than they have ever been. Moreover, parenting our children can bring up unhealed wounds from our childhood, making it difficult to separate our triggers from what our teen may be experiencing. We as parents often want to fix things for our teen, and yet what they really need are the skills to understand and tolerate their own emotions and the confidence and tools to navigate life’s challenges. Teens need to know that we understand their pressures and believe in their capabilities while providing them a safe and non-judgemental place where they can find love and support. Often, our teens just want to know that we are there for them and that we will listen actively without providing unsolicited opinions. This can be easier written/said than done!
Having the privilege of being a mother to four teenagers and young adults, I have personally experienced the day-to-day challenges facing both adolescents and parents in a rapidly changing environment. I work to establish a trusting relationship with the young person, whilst also liaising with parents when it is appropriate and constructive. My experience shows me that working directly with parents and providing them the tools for navigating these challenges results in a long-standing positive impact; hence, parent coaching has become an important part of my professional practice.