Viviana — Therapy & Psychological Assessment for Adults
Anxiety, Emotional Overwhelm, and Feeling Stuck
Hi, I’m Viviana. I work with adults who feel stuck, overwhelmed, trapped in their heads, or have difficulty connecting to the present moment. I work with highly sensitive people (HSPs) who tend to have intense emotional reactions, who experience emotional “shutdowns,” or who have challenges identifying and expressing their feelings. My therapy aims to help people feel safe as well as provide insight into how the brain and body work together to drive their distress.
I can help
Therapy for Anxiety, Trauma, and Emotional Regulation
In sessions, I will provide tools on how to manage your stress and anxiety levels, process unresolved experiences or trauma, and improve your capacity to regulate your emotions. We can work on developing awareness of how the past shows up in the present, and use grounding and emotional regulation tools to help you live your life more intentionally. This way, you can respond rather than react to life. We can work together to help break the cycle of avoidance and live life based on what matters to you.
Why You Can Trust Me
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Credentials and Training
I am a Registered Psychological Associate (#PSB 94027274) through the Board of Psychology and am supervised by
Dr. Mary Kate Roohan, Psy.D (Licensed Clinical Psychologist # 34538).I have training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), and other mindfulness-based therapy modalities. I am also a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200).
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Education
PsyD Clinical Psychology from California Southern University
M.A. in Legal and Forensic Psychology from the University of California, Irvine
B.A. in Sociology/Criminology from California State University, Northridge
Certificate in Medical/Legal Spanish Translation from UCLA
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Approach
I provide affirming, culturally responsive care for LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and neurodivergent individuals. I am bilingual and offer therapy in both English and Spanish.
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Philosophy
My approach is mind–body focused. In our sessions, we can understand how your thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and past experiences affect your nervous system and identify ways to regulate it.
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Collaboration
Together, we will practice mindfulness, and I will provide practical skills you can use to help you connect to the present, feel safer in your body, and be able to observe your internal and external experiences
Insight is everything
Psychological Assessment
One thing that makes me unique is that I provide psychological assessment services for adults. Psychological testing is a wonderful tool that can help clarify diagnoses, better understand emotional or psychological patterns, and guide treatment planning.
My approach to assessment is similar to my approach to therapy: collaborative, culturally responsive, and grounded in an understanding of how emotional, cognitive, and nervous system factors interact.
3 Reasons To Choose Therapy with Dr. Viviana
Reason No.1
NERVOUS-SYSTEM–INFORMED CARE
Many individuals I work with are sensitive, feel their emotions deeply, and tend to feel overwhelmed or emotionally disconnected from others or themselves. I understand how exhausting being “on edge” feels and how it can affect your ability to stay present or connect with others. My therapeutic approach helps you understand how your brain and nervous system interact and create your emotional and physiological responses. Instead of asking you to push through it or minimize your experience, we’ll work together to understand your reactions and empower you to make changes that are aligned with the life you want to live.
Reason No.2
SKILLS THAT CREATE REAL CHANGE
My therapy is collaborative, reflective, and practical. I combine evidence-based therapies, such as ACT, DBT, and EMDR, using a neuroscience-informed approach. My goal is for you to have your own therapy toolbox for daily life and know how to self-soothe when you need it outside of sessions. We’ll work on managing stress and anxiety, responding instead of reacting, and breaking out of unhelpful cycles of overwhelm or avoidance. My goal is that you feel understood and equipped to use the tools we’ve explored in therapy.
Reason No.3
TRAUMA-INFORMED & AFFIRMING SUPPORT
You’re the expert on your life and experiences. As a bilingual, EMDR-trained, and skills-focused therapist, I work with adults who have trauma, ongoing anxiety, and emotional dysregulation in a way that prioritizes your lived experiences. I’m simply there to guide you and remove the obstacles that are getting in the way of you living your best life. I provide affirming care for LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and neurodivergent individuals, and I’m also bilingual in English and Spanish. You’re not someone who needs to be “fixed.” You’re a whole person whose nervous system has learned ways to cope, and together we can gently work toward reconnecting with yourself with greater clarity, curiosity, and self-compassion.
Ready to be heard and understood?
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In Person Therapy
Living in Los Angeles and interested in in-person therapy with me? Sign up for a 15 minute consult and we can determine if we are the right fit for each other.
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Virtual Therapy
Living in California and interested in virtual therapy with me? Sign up here to schedule a phone call to determine how I can support you in your healing journey.
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Free Resources
Living outside California? Join my email list for a FREE copy of "5 Ways To Be the Boss of Your Feelings." Be the first to know when I have launched my course.