Maria del Carmen Gutierrez, Ph.D.
Psychological Associate
License 94026623
Bilingual in English and Spanish
"The wound is the place where the light enters you" — Rumi
Client Focus:
Individuals, Couples, Families, Children (starting at 6+)
Types of Therapy:
Psychodynamic, Psychoanalysis, EFT, EMDR, ACT, Mentalization Based Treatment (MBT), DBT
Issues:
Trauma, Anxiety, Relationship Issues, Grief, Eating Disorders (Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating Disorder, Emotional Eating, Exercise Addiction, and Disordered Eating), and Anger Issues
Specialties:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder, People Pleasing, Anger Issues, Attachment Trauma (Childhood Trauma), PTSD, Complex PTSD, Grief and Loss, Domestic Violence, and Parenting Issues
Feeling safe and comfortable with your therapist is crucial for a deeply personal and intimate process like therapy. If you are feeling distressed, struggling with a difficult transition, feeling stuck in life and wondering why you can't seem to find happiness, or just trying to understand yourself better, I can help you.
My approach is psychodynamic and involves exploring interpersonal relationships. However, I believe that everyone is unique, and I collaborate with my clients to determine the focus of treatment and use an approach that best suits them. I specialize in depression, anxiety, eating disorders, trauma, relationship issues, and couples therapy, and I offer a range of evidence-based treatments to help my clients improve their relationship patterns and the difficulties they are facing through psychodynamic therapy, Emotional Focus Therapy (EFT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). I also provide EMDR therapy. I am trained as an EMDR therapist through EMDRIA (EMDR International Association). EMDR has been proven to help with trauma disorders, anxiety, depression, and other acute and complex trauma symptoms.
I believe that by gaining a deeper understanding of yourself, you can make healthier choices and live more fully in the present moment.
I have a Doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology (Ph.D.) from Ramon Llull University in Spain and have been a licensed psychologist for more than 12 years in Barcelona, and Mexico and currently completing my post-doctoral training at LA Psychotherapy Group. I am a member of the American Psychoanalytic Association and have a master’s degree in psychodynamic psychotherapy. Aside from clinical work, I have been a university professor abroad teaching at the master’s degree level, and I have conducted research on eating disorders, depression, and attachment in Europe. I am experienced in a wide range of psychological tests and trained to codify mentalization in the Adult Attachment Interview at the Anna Freud Centre in London.
When I’m out of the office, I love running, traveling, and spending time outdoors.